* 


ON  A SECOND  VISIT  TO 


-HORT 


la,  Japan  and  Korea 

1909 

WITH  A DISCUSSION  OF  SOME  PROBLEMS  OF 

MISSION  WORK 

* / 

BY  / 

ARTHUR  JUDSON  BROWN 


3 


To  the  Board  and  the 


The  Board  of 
Of  the  Presbyteriar 
156  Fifth/ 


PRINTED  BU" 
FOR  PRIVATE 


Church 


Secreta 


% 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/reportonsecondvi00brow_1 


! / 


/ 


REPORT 


ON  A SECOND  VISIT  TO 


China,  Japan  and  Korea 

1909 


WITH  A DISCUSSION  OF  SOME  PROBLEMS  OF 


ARTHUR  JUDSON  BROWN 


To  the  Board  and  the  Missions  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  U.  S.  A. 


PRINTED  BUT  NOT  PUBLISHED 
FOR  PRIVATE  CIRCULATION  ONLY 


The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions 
Of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A. 
156  Fifth  Ave.,  New  York 


MISSION  WORK 


BY 


/ 


V 


Secretary  of  the  Board 


CONTENTS 


PAGES 

The  Journey 3-6 

Scope  and  Method  of  Inquiry  6-12 

Fundamental  Distinctions  12-15 

Japan  and  the  Japanese  12,  15-21,  27-30,  103-104 

Missions  in  Japan 21-30 

Cooperation  with  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan 30-34 

The  Native  Church  and  Native  Christians 30-54,  54-63,  87-95,  113-119 

Korea  and  the  Koreans  14-15,  63-69 

The  Japanese  in  Korea 69-84 

Missionaries  and  the  Japanese  80-83,  92 

Missions  in  Korea  84-95 

China  and  the  Chinese  13-14,  95-H3 

Reforms,  95-101  ;VLack  of  Leadership,  101-103;  Currency, 
104-105;  Missionaries  and  Chinese  Officials,  106-113;  Anti- 
foreign  Feeling,  108-112. 

Missions  in  China  113-119 

Will  There  Be  War?  119-123 

The  Future  123-128 

SPECIAL  PROBLEMS. 

Cooperation  with  the  Native  Church 30-34 

Missionary  Membership  in  Field  Presbyteries  128-132 

V Application  of  the  Gospel  to  Social  Conditions 132-137 

Relations  of  the  Board  and  the  Missions — Criticisms — Special 

Gifts 137-147 

Field  Supervision  of  Mission  Work. 

Mission  Organization — Executive  Committees — The  China 

Council,  Women  Voting 147-161 

Where  Money  Is  Most  Needed 161-171 

Salaries  and  Travel,  161-162;  Reinforcements,  162-163; 
Property,  163-167;  Current  work  and  salaries  of  native 
workers,  167-171 ; Increased  cost  of  living,  168-171. 

Schools  for  Missionaries’  Children  171-177 

Furloughs  and  Terms  of  Service  177-182 

Outfit  for  New  Missionaries  182-183 

Doctrinal  Soundness  of  Candidates  183-184 

Education 184-207 

Need  and  policy,  184-186;  In  Japan,  186-187;  In  Korea, 
187-193;  In  China,  193-207. 

Students  in  Government  Colleges  207-209 

Conclusion 209-210 


REPORT 

ON  A SECOND  VISIT  TO 

China,  Japan  and  Korea,  1909 

With  a Discussion  of  Some  Problems  of  Mission  Work 

BY 

ARTHUR  JUDSON  BROWN 

Secretary  of  the  Board 


I present  herewith  to  the  Board  and  the  Missions  a report  on 
my  second  visit  to  China,  Japan  and  Korea,  in  accordance  with 
the  Board’s  action  of  March  ist,  1909,  as  follows: 

“Secretary  Arthur  J.  Brown  was  appointed  to  represent  the  Board 
at  the  Quarter  Centennial  of  Protestant  Missions  in  Korea  next  Sep- 
tember, under  the  offer  of  Mr.  Lewis  H.  Severance  to  pay  the  expenses 
involved,  referred  to  in  the  Board’s  action  of  Nov.  i6th,  1908.  In  view 
of  the  importance  of  the  questions  that  are  pending,  not  only  in  Korea 
but  in  Japan  and  China,  and  the  fact  that  Dr.  Brown  can  visit  these 
countries  in  connection  with  his  Korea  tour,  the  Board  instructed  him 
to  plan  for  two  weeks  in  Japan,  four  weeks  in  Korea,  and  four  weeks 
in  China,  making  a total  absence  from  New  York  of  about  four  and  a 
half  months.  While  leaving  Dr.  Brown  large  discretion  as  to  the  way 
in  which  he  can  spend  his  time  to  the  best  advantage,  the  Board  sug- 
gested that  in  Japan  emphasis  be  placed  upon  a conference  with  repre- 
sentatives of  both  the  East  and  West  Japan  Missions  at  Karuizawa, 
and  with  the  leaders  of  the  Japanese  churches  at  Tokyo;  that  in  Korea, 
while  brief  stops  be  made  at  other  stations  that  are  on  or  near  the  rail- 
road, emphasis  be  given  to  conferences  at  Seoul  and  Pyeng  Yang;  and 
that  in  China  emphasis  should  be  placed  upon  a joint  conference  of  the 
East  and  West  Shantung  Missions  at  such  point  as  may  be  mutually 
agreed  upon,  a conference  with  the  North  China  Mission  in  Peking,  and 
that  a conference  be  held  at  Shanghai  with  all  the  members  of  the 
Central  China  Mission  who  may  be  conveniently  available,  and  that  the 
Hanan,  Hunan,  South  China  and  Kiang-an  Missions  be  requested  to 
appoint  two  delegates  each  to  this  conference ; the  necessary  expenses 
of  such  delegates  to  be  met  by  the  Board  unless  the  Missions  can  pro- 
vide them  under  their  appropriations.” 

The  Korea  Missions  afterwards  abandoned  the  plan  for  a 
united  observance  of  the  quarter  centennial  of  their  work ; but 
the  Board  felt  that  the  main  reasons  for  a secretarial  visit  to 


2 


the  Far  East  were  independent  of  this  change  and  the  tour  was 
therefore  carried  out  as  planned. 

The  kindness  of  Mr.  Severance  in  providing  for  the  expenses 
of  my  journey,  including  the  conferences  and  related  official  du- 
ties, was  generously  supplemented  by  a personal  gift  from  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  John  S.  Kennedy  in  order  that  Mrs.  Brown  might  ac- 
company me.  It  was  a deep  sorrow  to  learn  near  the  conclu- 
sion of  the  trip  that  Mr.  Kennedy  had  passed  away.  It  would 
not  be  proper  for  me  in  this  report  to  attempt  to  state  all  that 
the  loss  of  such  a man  means  to  the  Church  at  large  or  to  those 
of  us  who  were  close  to  him  in  the  circle  of  intimate  friendship. 
He  was  a man  of  remarkable  ability  and  force  of  character,  a 
Christian  of  eminent  faith  and  consecration,  and  a philanthro- 
pist of  world-wide  vision.  His  bequests  inaugurate  a new  era 
in  giving,  not  only  by  their  princely  munificence  but  by  their 
freedom  from  all  personal  conditions.  Mr.  Kennedy,  realizing 
that  he  had  not  had  opportunity  personally  to  visit  and  study 
all  our  work  on  the  field,  was  wise  enough  and  great  enough'  to 
leave  to  the  expert  and  responsible  administrators  of  the  enter- 
prise which  he  aided  the  decision  as  to  how  his  money  could  be 
used  to  the  best  advantage. 


THE  JOURNEY. 

W’e  left  Xew  York  July  27th,  proceeding  by  rail  to  San  Fran- 
cisco and  thence  by  steamer  to  Japan,  arriving  at  Yokohama 
August  22nd.  We  spent  fifteen  days  in  Japan.  As  the  country 
is  not  large  and  as  the  railway  service  is  excellent,  considerable 
ground  was  covered  within  this  period.  We  went  directly 
to  Karuizawa,  where  the  East  and  West  Japan  Missions  had 
arranged  to  hold  their  annual  meetings  and  where  we  also 
found  The  Council  of  Missions  Co-operating  with  the  Church 
of  Christ.  jMany  missionaries  of  other  Societies  were  also 
present,  as  Karuizawa  is  a mountain  summer  resort  to  which 
large  numbers  of  missionaries  go  for  their  vacations.  There 
was  said  to  be  a missionary  community  of  800  at  the  time  we 
were  there.  Three  full  days,  and  I might  almost  add  nights, 
were  devoted  to  conferences  with  the  Council  of  ^Missions,  our 
own  East  and  West  Japan  Missions  and  representative  mis- 
sionaries of  other  communions. 

Leaving  Karuizawa,  we  stopped  for  a day  at  Nikko  to  see  the 
temples  and  shrines  which  are  so  characteristic  of  Japan,  and 
then  we  visited  in  turn  Tokyo,  Tsu,  Yamada,  Kyoto  and  Osaka. 
A day  in  Tokyo  was  devoted  to  a conference  with  Japanese 
leaders  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  eastern  Japan,  and  another 
day  in  Osaka  to  a conference  with  Japanese  leaders  of  western 
Japan.  I secured  valuable  information  on  many  questions  at 
these  conferences.  Our  fifteen  days  in  Japan  ended  at  Shim- 
onoseki,  where  we  took  the  steamer  across  the  Korea  Strait  and 
arrived  at  Fusan,  Korea,  September  6th. 

We  spent  twenty-five  days  in  Korea,  travelling  the  entire 
length  of  the  country  from  Eusan  to  Wi-ju,  and  visiting  all  the 
stations  of  the  ^fission  except  Kang  Kai,  which  is  so  far  from 
the  railway  that  nearly  a month  would  have  been  required  for  a 
visit.  The  Korea  Mission  and  the  General  Council  representing 
the  four  Presbyterian  bodies  operating  in  Korea  were  as- 
sembled at  Pyeng  Yang,  and  several  days  were  spent  in  confer- 
ences with  these  important  bodies.  Conferences  were  also  held 
with  the  missionaries  of  the  various  stations,  as  we  visited  them 
after  the  adjournment  of  the  ^Mission  meeting,  and  at  each  place 
we  also  met  the  Korean  Christians  and  their  leaders. 

October  ist,  we  arrived  at  An-tung  on  the  Yalu  River,  and 
took  the  light,  narrow  gauge  railway,  built  by  the  Japanese  dur- 
ing the  Russia-Japan  War,  to  Mukden.  This  journey  of  188 
miles  occupied  two  days,  as  the  road  was  poorly  and  hastily 
constructed  during  the  war  and  the  trains  make  only  about 
seven  or  eight  miles  an  hour  and  stop  for  the  night  at  a half- 
way station.  In  spite  of  the  discomforts  of  the  trip,  the  jour- 


4 


ney  was  an  interesting  one,  not  only  because  of  its  scenic  beau- 
ties, but  because  the  line  follows  for  a considerable  part  of  the 
way  the  route  of  Russian  retreat  and  Japanese  advance.  A 
brief  visit  to  the  Scotch-Irish  Presbyterian  Stations  at  Mukden, 
the  ancient  capital  of  Manchuria,  was  followed  by  visits  to  our 
recently  established  stations  at  Dalny,  now  known  as  Dairen, 
and  Port  Arthur,  where  we  conferred  with  the  missionaries  re- 
garding the  problems  of  our  mission  work  and  opportunity 
among  the  Japanese  in  lower  Manchuria. 

We  then  travelled  by  railway  via  New  Chwang  to  Peking, 
where  conferences  were  held  with  the  North  China  IMission 
and  with  representative  leaders  of  the  Chinese  Churches.  Then 
we  visited  the  other  two  stations  of  our  North  China  ^Mission, 
Paoting-fu  and  Shunte-fu,  proceeding  south  by  rail  to  Hankow, 
where  we  were  most  hospitably  received  by  the  missionaries  of 
that  great  center  of  population  and  influence.  Hankow  is  the 
heart  of  middle  China  and  my  regret  that  we  have  no  station 
there  is  mitigated  by  the  knowledge  that  the  cause  of  Christ  is 
ably  represented  by  a splendid  body  of  missionaries  of  severai 
other  Societies,  British  and  American. 

A delightful  ride  of  a day  and  two  nights  down  the  Yang- 
tsze  River  in  a comfortable  steamer  brought  us  to  Nanking. 
The  new  and  well  equipped  railway  from  Nanking  to  Shanghai 
runs  via  Soochow,  so  that  after  our  visit  to  the  excellent  mis- 
sion work  in  the  former  capital  and  now  vice-regal  city,  we 
were  able  to  reach  Soochow  in  five  and  a half  hours.  When 
we  resumed  our  journey,  two  and  a quarter  hours  brought  us  to 
Shanghai,  where  eight  days  were  spent,  chiefly  in  conferences 
with  the  large  number  of  missionaries  and  Chinese  ministers 
and  elders.  The  Central  China  Mission  was,  of  course,  present 
in  force,  and  there  were  also  delegates  from  the  Kiang-an, 
Hunan,  Hainan  and  South  China  Missions,  making  this  confer- 
ence a broadly  representative  one.  The  conference  with  the 
Chinese  leaders  was  also  largely  attended. 

From  Shanghai  we  proceeded  by  steamer  to  Tsing-tau,  a 
stonny  trip  lengthening  the  usual  voyage  of  thirty-two  hours 
to  forty-six.  Two  weeks  were  spent  in  the  great  Province  of 
Shantung,  half  of  this  time  being  devoted  to  conferences  with 
the  East  and  West  Shantung  Missions  and  the  Chinese  leaders 
assembled  at  WTi-hsien,  our  largest  station  in  China  and  the 
seat  of  the  Arts  College  of  the  Shantung  Christian  University. 
Then  we  visited  the  union  Theological  College  and  Normal 
School  of  the  Shantung  Christian  University  at  the  English 
Baptist  Station  of  Tsing-chou-fu.  After  this  we  went  on  to 
Tsinan-fu,  the  capital  of  this  populous  and  influential  Province, 
where  the  joint  work  of  Presbyterians  and  English  Baptists  pre- 


5 


sents  features  of  extraordinary  interest.  It  seemed  strange  to 
return  from  Tsinan-fu  to  Tsing-tau  in  one  day  in  a comfortable 
railway  car  and  to  eat  an  excellent  beefsteak  dinner  cook- 
ed on  the  train  and  served  in  our  compartment,  when  only  eight 
years  before,  I had  plodded  for  ten  days  in  a mule-litter  to 
cover  the  same  distance. 

Tsing-tau  has  become  one  of  the  handsomest  modern  cities 
in  the  Far  East,  and  our  station  is  developing  a good  work. 
Twenty  hours  by  steamer  should  have  landed  us  at  Chefoo,  but 
one  of  the  sudden  gales,  for  which  these  seas  are  notorious, 
sprung  up.  Our  steamer  anchored  a mile  out  in  the  open  road- 
stead, and  we  were  lowered  by  ropes  into  the  small,  flat-bottom- 
ed sculling  boats  called  sampans,  which  rose  and  fell  fifteen  to 
twenty  feet  and  pitched  and  rolled  and  slammed  against  one  an- 
other and  the  steamer's  side  in  a most  interesting  way.  How- 
ever, we  finally  got  ashore  without  mishap,  and  were  amazed 
at  the  growth  of  the  city  since  our  former  visit. 

From  Chefoo,  twent}'-three  hours  over  a smooth  sea  brought 
us  to  the  famous,  or  infamous,  Taku  Bar,  where  we  lay  twelve 
hours  lightering  our  load  and  waiting  for  high  tide,  so  that  it 
was  one  o’clock  the  next  day  when  we  reached  Tien-tsin.  Train 
connections  enabled  us  to  spend  another  day  with  our  mission- 
aries in  Peking  before  starting  for  home.  Leaving  the  capital 
Monday  at  7 :20  P.  M.,  and  changing  cars  at  Mukden,  Chang- 
chun and  Harbin  in  Manchuria  and  at  Irkutsk  in  Siberia,  we 
arrived  in  Moscow  the  second  Friday  morning.  The  journey 
through  Siberia,  Russia  and  Germany,  while  extremely  inter- 
esting to  us  and  abounding  in  impressions  of  which  I may  write 
separately,  was  uneventful  from  the  view-point  of  this  report, 
and  we  reached  New  York  December  21st,  after  an  absence  of 
five  months  lacking  six  days. 

The  fact  that  such  a trip  around  the  world,  with  fifteen  days 
in  Japan,  twenty-five  in  Korea  and  fifty-six  in  China,  was  pos- 
sible within  the  limits  of  a five  months'  absence  from  Xew 
York  is  a striking  illustration  of  modern  facilities  lor  travel ; 
and  it  appears  almost  startling  when  we  remember  that  mission- 
aries in  China  who  are  now  living,  like  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hunter 
Corbett,  were  a longer  time  in  reaching  their  fields  a generation 
ago  than  we  spent  on  our  entire  journey.  Their  haidships  in 
wretchedly  uncomfortable  sailing  vessels  were  great,  but  ours 
were  not  worth  mentioning.  The  most  trying  experience  of  the 
entire  world  circuit  was  caused  by  the  sultry  Julv  heat  in  trav- 
elling from  Xew  York  to  San  Francisco.  The  strain  of  the  trip 
was  due  to  the  conferences,  addresses  and  other  work  which  I 
had  to  do,  rather  than  to  anything  incident  to  the  tour  itself.  \Ve 
returned  with  abundant  reason  for-  gratitude  to  God  who 


6 


watched  over  us  on  our  journeyings,  so  that  we  suffered  neither 
illness  nor  accident.  We  only  regret  that  the  necessary  limits 
of  the  tour  made  it  impracticable  to  visit  again  the  other  Mis- 
sions in  Asia  which  were  included  in  our  longer  tour  in  1901 
and  1902. 

SCOPE  AND  METHOD  OF  INQUIRY. 

The  modern  foreign  missionary  enterprise  is  highly  com- 
plex. It  includes  not  only  the  immediate  proclamation  of  the 
Gospel,  but  all  the  varied  forms  of  work  which  are  involved 
in  the  establishment  and  development  of  a Christian  Church 
and  the  practical  outworkings  of  the  Gospel  in  human  society. 
It  is  trite  to  say  that  our  work  is  conducted  along  four  lines, 
evangelistic,  educational,  medical  and  literary ; but  each  of  these 
represents  many  kinds  of  effort  and  institutions  of  different 
kinds.  Moreover,  the  foreign  missionary  enterprise  is  affected 
by  the  political,  social  and  intellectual  changes  which  are  taking 
place  in  the  Far  East  and  it  is  in  turn  influencing  those  changes. 
Indeed,  this  enterprise  has  been  one  of  the  potent  factors  in 
creating  the  extraordinary  situation  which  exists  today.  No 
one  can  understand  modern  Missions  without  understanding, 
to  some  extent  at  least,  the  peoples  among  whom  missionary 
work  is  conducted — their  traditions,  social  customs,  religious 
beliefs,  the  attitude  of  officials,  the  new  forces  which  are  oper- 
ating upon  them,  and  the  wide  variety  of  problems  and  rela- 
tions which  are  involved.  An  undertaking  which  proposes  to 
reconstruct  the  character  of  enormous  and  alien  populations, 
and  which  involves  the  transformation  of  society  and  a new  di- 
rection of  human  life  inevitably  raises  problems  more  profound 
and  complicated  than  any  other  known  to  man. 

Accordingly,  I sought  information  not  only  from  mission- 
aries of  our  own  and  other  Boards,  but  from  native  Christians, 
consuls,  business  men,  officials,  educators,  and  in  general  from 
anyone  and  everyone  whom  I could  meet.  These  interviews 
were  with  men  of  all  classes  and  conditions,  from  Prince  Ito  of 
Japan,  and  my  long  interview  with  him  in  Tokyo  was  probably 
one  of  the  last  interviews  he  had  with  a foreigner  before  his  la- 
mented assassination,  down  through  officials  of  various  grades 
— governors,  commissioners,  army  officers,  teachers,  residents, 
to  common  peasants. 

The  following  considerations  were  emphasized  at  all  of  the 
conferences : 

First.  That  I came  not  as  a teacher  but  as  a student.  I ad- 
mitted that  I had  some  opinions  on  assorted  subjects;  but  that 
my  object  in  visiting  Asia  was  not  to  promulgate  them,  but 


7 


rather  to  ascertain  the  opinions  of  those  who  are  on  the  field, 
mindful  of  Bacon’s  aphorism : “He  that  questioneth  much  shall 
learn  much.” 

Second.  That  all  the  policies  and  methods  of  the  Board  are 
subject  to  change,  if  conditions  render  change  advisable.  The 
work  is  not  conducted  in  the  interest  of  IManual  regulations, 
but  Manual  regulations  are  in  the  interests  of  the  work.  When 
the  Board  makes  a ruling,  it  is  because  the  information  before 
it  at  the  time  leads  it  to  believe  that  a certain  decision  is  the  wis- 
est one ; but  if  later  information  shows  that  a different  course  is 
advisable,  the  Board  will  unhesitatingly  modify  or  reverse  its 
former  action. 

Third.  That  I desired  discussion  of  the  large  and  permanent 
aspects  of  the  work  as  distinguished  from  the  small  and  tem- 
porary ones.  Particular  questions  of  detail  could  be  handled  by 
correspondence,  but  questions  of  policy  needed  careful  and 
united  study.  I urged  that  we  face  the  basal  questions  of  pol- 
icies, methods  and  conditions,  frankly  note  defects  and  failures 
both  in  the  Board  and  in  the  IMissions,  and  consider  what  im- 
provements might  be  made.  I ^yished  to  confer  also  about  the 
anxious  problems  resulting  from  the  growing  Asiatic  spirit  of 
self-consciousness  and  independence  and  the  vast  intellectual, 
social,  commercial  and  political  changes  which  are  so  swiftly 
taking  place.  This  is  a period  of  transition.  What  does  it  in- 
volve? Are  we  meeting  it  wisely?  What  should  the  mission- 
aries do?  What  should  the  Board  and  the  Home  Church  do? 
Surely  Christ’s  question : “Can  ye  not  discern  the  signs  of  the 
time  ?”  was  never  more  pertinent  and  peremptory. 

While  there  were  some  questions  which  should  be  discussed 
by  ourselves  as  Presbyterians,  there  were  others,  including 
some  of  the  larger  ones,  which  are  common  to  the  work  of  all 
evangelical  bodies.  I coveted  the  broader  outlook  and  the 
ampler  wisdom  which  would  be  afforded  by  a general  assem- 
blage of  men  and  women  of  different  churches  and  national- 
ities. I therefore  asked  for  union  conferences  to  which  mis- 
sionaries of  all  communions  might  be  invited.  Questions  of 
comity  and  co-operation  are  assuming  larger  proportions  both 
at  home  and  abroad.  Foreign  missionary  workers  are  leading 
in  the  effort  to  bring  the  people  of  God  together,  and  I was 
eager  to  get  into  closer  touch  with  movements  which  command 
my  strong  sympathies  and  hearty  support. 

IMany  missionaries  suggested  that  I give  them  some  idea  in 
advance  of  the  topics  which  I desired  to  have  discussed  in  the 
conferences.  I recognized  the  reasonableness  of  this  sugges- 
tion and  drew  up  the  following  rough  outline  of  questions  upon 
which  I sought  opinions ; 


8 


I.  THE  NATIVE  CHURCH. 

1.  What  is  your  opinion  as  to  the  fitness  of  the  Native 
Church  for  a larger  measure  of  self-government? 

2.  What  steps  ought  to  be  taken  to  develop  more  fully  the 
qualities  which  are  essential  to  proper  self-government? 

3.  Do  our  present  methods  give  sufficient  scope  to  the  Na- 
tive Church  ? 

4.  Are  our  present  methods' likely  to  attract  a high  class  of 
natives  to  enter  the  ministry? 

5.  Is  your  aim  to  establish  a self-supporting,  self-propagat- 
ing and  self-governing  Native  Church  really  dominating  vour 
policy  and  methods  ? 

6.  Are  you  working  harmoniously  with  the  Native  Church? 

7.  To  what  extent  are  you  teaching  the  Native  Church  the 
distinctive  tenets  of  Presbyterianism  as  distinguished  from 
those  tenets  which  are  the  common  belief  of  evangelical  Chris- 
tians? 

8.  Are  our  Western  creeds  and  forms  of  government  the 
best  for  the  Native  Church? 

9.  What  are  the  essential  elements  of  a creed  and  policy 
which  the  Native  Church  shows  signs  of  emphasizing? 

10.  Should  the  direct  giving  of  the  Gospel  to  the  unevan- 
gelized be  more  largely  done  by  native  Christians  so  that  mis- 
sionaries shall  more  and  more  become  organizers  and  trainers 
of  native  evangelists  and  other  leaders? 

11.  Should  missionaries  be  members  of  the  Native  Church 
and  its  judicatories  and  should  native  leaders  be  members  of  the 
Mission  ? 


II.  THE  MISSION. 

1.  Is  the  present  -Mission  organization  sufficiently  effective? 

2.  How  is  the  plan  of  an  Executive  Committee  working  and' 
is  any  development  of  the  plan  advisable? 

3.  Is  it  desirable  to  set  apart  an  experienced  member  of  the 
Mission  as  Chairman  of  the  Mission  Executive  Committee,  free 
him  from  local  station  work  and  charge  him  with  such  general 
duties  for  the  whole  mission  as  may  be  assigned  him. 

4.  M'here  do  you  most  need  more  money? 

(a)  Salaries,  (b)  children’s  allowances,  (c)  home 
allowances,  (d)  property,  (e)  reinforcements,  (f) 
current  work. 

5.  Would  you  prefer  a system  of  graded  salaries  for  mis- 
sionaries, i.  e.,  a minimum  salary  for  the  first  term,  a larger 
salary  for  the  second  term,  and  a maximum  salary  for  the  third 
and  subseciuent  terms? 


9 


6.  Has  the  Mission  any  definite  policy  and  method  for  se- 
curing a more  adequate  supply  of  native  ministers,  evangelists 
and  teachers?  Are  our  schools  sufficiently  emphasizing  this 
need,  and  are  they  succeeding? 

7.  What  is  your  policy  regarding  the  employment  of  non- 
Christian  teachers  in  mission  schools  ? How  many  such  teach- 
ers are  you  employing  ? 

8.  What  specific  rules  have  you  regarding  the  relation  of 
missionaries  to  eonsular  and  diplomatic  officials  and  interfer- 
ence of  missionaries  in  native  courts  in  behalf  of  native  Chris- 
tians ? 

9.  What  specific  regulations  have  you  regarding : 

(a)  Fees  in  hospitals  and  dispensaries? 

,(b)  Tuition  or  other  fees  in  schools? 

(c)  Grants  in  aid  to  native  congregations? 

10.  Can  you  improve  your  annual  and  statistical  reports  and 
quarterly  letters  so  that  they  will  be  more  helpful  to  the  Board 
in  increasing  the  interest  of  the  home  Church  ? 

11.  How  can  the  Missions  co-operate  more  effectively  with 
the  increasing  numbers  of  ministers  and  laymen  who  are  visit- 
ing the  foreign  field  ? 


III.  THE  BO.MtD. 

1.  Is  the  present  policy  too  paternal? 

2.  What  classes  of  questions  should  the  Mission  settle  for 
themselves  whieh  they  now  refer  to  the  Board  ? 

3.  Shall  the  Board  rescind  the  first  section  of  Paragraph 
49  of  the  Manual,  reduce  the  regular  appropriations  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  fiscal  year  to  a sum  equal  to  estimated  undesig- 
nated gifts,  and  then  appropriate  special  object  gifts  as  extras 
as  the  Board  receives  them  ? 

4.  Should  the  Board,  if  able  to  do  so,  send  out  large  rein- 
forcements, or  should  it  send  a comparatively  small  number  of 
picked  men  and  women? 

5.  Should  reinforcements  be  sent  when  the  money  is  not  in 
sight  for  houses  and  for  the  advanced  work  which  the  new  mis- 
sionaries would  represent? 

6.  What  have  you  to  suggest  to  the  Board  regarding  the 
training  of  candidates  for  missionary  appointment  and  the  con- 
ferences which  the  Board  holds  with  newly  appointed  mission- 
aries? 

7.  What  are  the  defects  in  the  Board’s  policy  and  methods, 
apart  from  those  involved  in  preceding  questions,  and  what  im- 
provements do  you  suggest? 


10 


» 


IV.  UNION  AND  COMITY. 

1.  What  plans  for  closer  federation  are  in  progress? 

2.  How  can  comity  and  co-operation  be  more  effectively 
promoted  so  that  duplication  may  be  avoided  ^nd  men  and 
money  used  to  the  best  advantage? 

3.  How  is  union  in  educational,  medical  and  literary  work 
progressing? 

4.  Should  there  be  union  schools  for  the  education  of  the 
children  of  missionaries,  and  if  so,  where,  how  conducted,  and 
how  supported? 

5.  Should  hostels  for  women  students  be  established  at  the 
large  educational  centres? 

V.  OTHER  QUESTIONS. 

1.  How  is  your  work  being  affected  by  the  rapidly  chang- 
ing social,  political,  commercial  and  intellectual  conditions  in 
Asia  and  the  growing  spirit  of  Asiatic  independence  and  self- 
consciousness  ? 

2.  What  is  the  solution  of  the  problem  of  the  increased  cost 
of  living  both  at  home  and  abroad  ? 

3.  Can  the  medical  work  be  more  largely  supported  locally, 
not  only  by  the  fees  of  patients  but  by  contributions  of  people 
of  the  city  in  which  the  work  is  situated,  so  as  to  liberate  pres- 
ent appropriations  for  other  work? 

4.  Should  larger  effort  be  made  to  endow  our  institutions 
for  higher  education,  so  as  to  liberate  the  appropriations  now 
made  for  them  for  other  work  and  at  the  same  time  give  these 
institutions  a more  adequate  and  stable  support? 

5.  \\’hat  suggestions  have  you  to  make  as  to  the  service 
which  the  \\'orld  ^Missionary  Conference  at  Edinburgh  can  ren- 
der the  work  on  the  field  ? 

6.  Do  you  desire  any  changes  in  the  furlough  and  term  of 
service  regulations? 

7.  What  is  the  duty  of  the  missionary  enterprise  regarding 
the  application  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  to  social  conditions? 

8.  Should  such  application  be  made  by  the  Church  itself  as 
an  integral  part  of  its  duty  and  work,  or  should  it  be  made  by 
societies  separately  organized? 

9.  How  far  can  the  undenominational  and  interdenomina- 
tional agencies  of  Europe  and  America  be  helpful  by  organiz- 
ing auxiliaries  in  Asia? 

10.  Are  the  spiritual  character  and  objects  of  mission  work 
kept  sufficiently  in  mind? 

11.  Do  the  spirit  of  prayer,  of  brotherly  love  and  of  humble 
and  trustful  reliance  upon  God,  and  the  presence  and  guidance 
of  Christ  sufficiently  characterize  our  work? 


II 


12.  What  is  there  that  hinders  a larger  manifestation  of  the 
power  of  God  in  our  work? 

We  did  not  attempt  to  cover  every  one  of  these  questions  in 
each  conference.  Selections  were  made,  usually  by  a commit- 
tee of  missionaries  who  often  added  questions  on  special  topics 
which  they  wished  to  have  discussed.  Experienced  mission- 
aries were  chosen  to  preside  over  the  conferences  with  mission- 
aries, and  native  Christian  leaders  to  preside  over  the  confer- 
ences with  the  native  ministers  and  elders.  These  conferences, 
carefully  planned  and  wisely  conducted  by  the  devoted  workers 
on  the  field,  pervaded  by  the  spirit  of  humble  reliance  upon  God, 
and  marked  by  a willingness  to  put  aside  pride  of  position  and 
prejudice  of  will  and  to  receive  what  God  might  reveal  to  us, 
did  much  to  clarify  our  ideas,  to  fix  more  firmly  in  cur  minds 
the  great  aims  which  we  are  seeking  to  attain,  and  to  help  to 
improve  the  methods  by  which  we  seek  them.  It  is  of  the  ut- 
most importance  that  the  Board,  the  Missions  and  the  Native 
Church  should  understand  one  another  and  work  to  a common 
end,  and  how  can  we  do  this  unless  we  take  counsel  together, 
have  the  mind  of  Christ,  and  are  obedient  to  His  leadership? 

The  opportunity  which  these  conferences  afforded  the  mis- 
sionaries and  the  native  pastors  and  elders  for  a free  expression 
of  their  views  was  very  valuable  to  me.  The  information  that  I 
gathered  from  the  discussion  of  these  and  other  questions  was 
abundant ; far  more  abundant,  indeed,  than  it  will  be  possible 
for  me  to  indicate  within  the  limits  of  this  report.  Adequate' 
treatment  of  some  of  the  subjects  would  require  lengthy  mono- 
graphs. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  this  Report  is  intended  for 
the  Board  and  the  Missions,  and  not  for  the  general  public.  It 
would  be  impracticable  to  include  here  all  the  material  that 
I gathered,  or  to  discuss  all  the  questions  which  the  Far  East 
presents  today.  Accounts  of  mission  work  are  presented  with 
fullness  of  detail  in  other  publications  which  are  easily  access- 
ible. Much  that  I have  to  say  on  many  phases  of  the  Far  East- 
ern situation  in  its  political,  intellectual,  economic  and  religious 
aspects,  I hope  to  put  in  a revised  and  enlarged  edition  of  my 
book  on  China  (“New  Forces  in  Old  China”)  and  in  a new 
volume  which  I am  preparing  on  Korea  and  Japan.  The  pres- 
ent Report  therefore  deals  chiefly  and  in  rather  a tentative  way 
with  problems  and  phases  of  the  situation  which  more  immedi- 
ately affect  our  missionary  work  and  relationships,  and  the  ab- 
sence of  fuller  discussions  of  certain  interesting  and  important 
topics  should  not  lead  the  reader  to  feel  that  they  have  been 
overlooked.  Nor  should  any  conclusions  on  the  subjects  which 
I do  discuss  be  understood  as  committing  either  the  Board  or 


12 


the  Missions.  My  report  is  to  them,  and  it  states  my  own  in- 
terpretation of  what  I saw  and  heard  and  my  judgment  there- 
on. The  Board  will  not  see  it  until  it  is  in  print. 

I may  only  add  that  it  appears  wise  to  omit  from  this  printed 
report  many  questions  of  detail  which  relate  to  special  needs 
and  difficulties  in  particular  stations.  Much  time  was  necessar- 
ily devoted  to  questions  of  this  sort ; but  some  of  them  are  con- 
fidential in  character,  and  as  far  as  they  require  consideration 
by  the  Board  they  may  be  more  wisely  handled  separately  in 
connection  with  the  regular  meetings  of  the  Board.  I have  al- 
ready made  some  recommendations  regarding  property  and 
reinforcements  in  various  places,  and  intend  to  make  others 
from  time  to  time. 

FUNDAMENTAL  DISTINCTIONS. 

The  dominant  problems  of  Japan,  Korea  and  China  differ 
widely.  There  are,  of  course,  many  things  in  common  in  these 
lands.  Missionaries  of  the  same  ability  and  devotion  are  preach- 
ing the  Gospel,  conducting  schools  and  hospitals,  planting 
churches,  training  native  workers,  and  faithfully  discharging 
the  other  duties  incident  to  foreign  missionary  work.  There 
are  some  respects,  too,  in  which  the  general  transformation  that 
is  taking  place  in  the  Far  East  raises  questions  of  common  char- 
acter which  affect  all  our  stations.  Nevertheless,  there  are  cer- 
tain psychological  distinctions  which  must  be  borne  in  mind  if 
the  local  problems  of  these  three  countries  are  to  be  rightly 
understood. 

The  key  idea  of  Japan  is  solidarity.  The  individual  is  noth- 
ing; the  nation  is  everything.  The  Japanese  people  move  as  a 
unit  in  politics,  in  war,  in  commerce  and  in  the  activities  of 
their  daity  lives.  Baron  Kikuchi,  President  of  the  Imperial 
University  at  Kyoto,  in  a recent  address  emphasized  the  unity 
of  the  nation  through  a traditional  succession  of  twenty-five 
unbroken  centuries  of  a single  dynasty  in  relation  to  a people 
who  regard  it  with  profound  veneration.  No  one  can  under- 
stand the  Japanese  who  does  not  perceive  this  remarkable  one- 
ness. No  one  can  really  influence  them  who  fails  to  recognize 
this  historic  relation  of  modern  Japan  to  ancestral  Japan,  the 
relation  of  the  ancestors  of  the  people  to  the  ancestors  of  the 
Imperial  House.  It  is  not  simply  the  relation  of  present  Japan 
to  its  ancestors,  but  of  many  centuries  of  Japanese  to  many 
centuries  of  Imperial  Rulers.  It  is  the  solidarity  of  a nation 
persisting  through  the  ages,  a solemn,  mystical  and  yet  tremen- 
dously real  and  vital  fact.  What  we  do  in  Japan  we  must  do 
without  cutting  the  roots  of  this  relationship  to  the  mighty  past. 
The  submergence  of  the  individual  in  the  mass,  the  knitting  of 


13 


the  entire  body  of  the  people  into  one  communalistic  system,  has 
no  parallel  in  history  unless  it  be  among  the  ancient  Peruvians. 
This  may  be  partly  due  to  the  fact  that  feudalism  continued  in 
Japan  until  a later  period  than  in  any  other  nation,  having  been 
abolished  indeed  only  a few  decades  ago.  But  while  feudalism 
has  disappeared  as  a political  system,  it  has  really  been  merged 
into  the  larger  and  more  absolute  feudalism  of  the  State,  one 
vast  system  having  taken  the  place  of  several  smaller  ones. 

The  key  idea  of  China  is  just  the  opposite  of  this ; it  is  indi- 
vidualism. There  is  a conspicuous  absence  of  centralization. 
The  Emperor  is  traditionally  venerated  as  the  Son  of  Heaven; 
but  the  people  regard  him  as  an  alien  Manchu  and  they  chafe 
under  his  rule.  The  nation  is  honey-combed  with  anti-dynastic 
societies  which  are  continually  plotting  the  overthrow  of  the 
Manchus  and  the  re-establishment  of  a Chinese  dynasty.  This 
individualism  extends  to  local  affairs.  It  is  a general  rule  that 
Chinese  officials  shall  not  hold  office  in  their  home  cities  and 
that  they  shall  be  shifted  every  few  years.  The  result  is  that 
the  average  official  is  a stranger  to  the  people  whom  he  rules. 
They  care  nothing  for  him,  knowing  that  his  stay  will  be  brief, 
that  he  will  get  all  he  can  out  of  them,  and  then  go  somewhere 
else.  Thus  there  is  none  of  that  sense  of  national  unity  which 
is  so  evident  in  Japan.  The  people  of  the  South  know  little  and 
care  less  about  the  people  of  the  North.  The  inhabitants  of 
Szechuan  are  almost  as  far  removed  in  sympathy  from  those  of 
Fuh-kien  as  Russians  from  British.  If  a war  breaks  out,  the 
nation  as  a whole  is  indifferent ; it  is  simply  a matter  for  the 
Peking  officials  and  the  governors  of  the  Provinces  attacked. 
Probably  many  of  the  Chinese  people  never  knew  that  there 
was  a war  between  China  and  Japan  in  1894,  and  those  who  did 
know  cared  little  more  than  if  the  war  had  been  between  Ger- 
many and  Japan.  If  a foreign  Power  were  to  obtain  possession 
of  a Japanese  port,  it  would  not  be  able  to  hire  a coolie  in  all 
Japan  to  fortify  it ; but  when  the  Germans  seized  Kiao-chou 
Bay,  although  the  Province  of  Shantung  was  thrown  into  great 
alarm,  the  German  Admiral  had  no  difficulty  in  employing 
thousands  of  Chinese  to  make  the  German  position  impregnable 
against  the  Chinese.  In  like  manner  the  Russians,  when  they 
took  Port  Arthur  under  an  agreement  which  they  extorted  from 
the  Chinese,  found  it  easy  to  employ  sixty  thousand  coolies  to 
construct  their  defenses,  while  the  foreign  legations  in  Peking 
fortified  themselves  by  the  aid  of  Chinese  laborers  within  rifle 
shot  of  the  Imperial  Palace.  China  is  a loose  aggregation  of 
units  rather  than  a solidified  nation.  The  Governors  and  Vice- 
roys are  virtually  independent  rulers  who  have  their  own  mints, 
their  own  military  force,  and  who  do  about  as  they  please  as 


14 


long  as  they  send  tribute  to  Peking.  The  Japanese  Government 
directs  its  individual  subjects  and  supports  them  in  their  enter- 
prises ; but  the  Government  of  China  is  less  particular  in  this  re- 
spect. It  is  every  man  for  himself.  Perhaps  this  is  due  in  part 
to  the  density  of  population  which  makes  the  struggle  for  exist- 
ence fiercer  than  anywhere  else  and  develops  a callous  selfish- 
ness as  well  as  a spirit- of  self-reliance.  This  individualism  is 
one  of  the  reasons  why  the  present  transformation  in  China  is 
beset  by  such  uncertainties.  The  new  influences  which  are  at 
work  are  affecting  the  essential  genius  of  Chinese  life.  They 
are  revolutionizing  fundamental  thoughts  and  relationships. 
Railways  and  telegraphs  are  making  possible  intercommunica- 
tion and  a knowledge  of  other  parts  of  the  Empire  and  are  tend- 
ing to  develop  a consciousness  of  unity  which  have  never  exist- 
ed before.  What  the  immediate  result  will  be  it  is  difficult  to 
forecast. 

The  individualism  of  the  Chinese,  however,  affords  more 
hope  for  the  ultimate  outcome  than  in  Japan.  The  reform  now 
in  progress  in  China  is  essentially  a movement  of  the  people. 
The  Government  is  not  leading  it,  is  indeed  far  behind.  A 
popular  movement  on  so  vast  a scale  will  probably  prove  as 
irresistible  as  the  similar  movement  was  in  Europe.  It  will 
mean  that  the  new  order,  when  once  established,  will  be  firmly 
based  on  the  consent  of  the  nation.  In  Japan,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  Government  is  leading  the  reform,  and  the  masses  of 
the  people  are  far  in  the  rear.  History  shows  that  such 
a situation  is  not  altogether  reassuring.  It  is  a great  thing  for 
new  ideas  to  have  the  prestige  of  official  leadership ; but  a 
great  population  of  common  people  has  an  inertia  which  is  hard 
to  move,  while  the  death  of  an  Emperor  or  changes  in  the 
Cabinet  might  at  any  time  result  in  an  alteration  of  policy.  The 
attitude  of  the  present  Government  and  the  large  number  of 
men  in  the  upper  classes  who  have  caught  the  spirit  of  the  mod- 
ern world  encourage  the  hope  that  no  reaction  will  set  in ; but 
if  it  ever  should  come,  the  solidarity  of  the  nation  will  make  it 
a serious  matter. 

The  key  idea  of  Korea  is  not  so  easily  stated  in  one  word. 
We  might  call  it  subjectivity.  The  people  are  less  virile,  less 
ambitious,  less  independent  in  spirit.  They  revere  their  Em- 
peror in  a general  sort  of  way,  but  with  little  of  that  passionate 
devotion  which  characterizes  the  Japanese.  Any  Japanese  will 
gladly  give  his  life  for  his  Emperor.  Indeed  he  is  eager  to  do 
so,  and  this  is  one  reason  why  Japan  is  such  a formidable  mili- 
tary power.  The  entire  nation  fights,  and  fights  to  the  death 
for  the  Emperor  whom  it  loves  and  worships.  Such  a senti- 
ment is  utterly  foreign  to  the  Chinese  mind.  The  Korean  occu- 


15 


pies  rather  a middle  position  in  this  respect.  Some  Korean  offi- 
cials committed  suicide  when  their  Emperor  was  humiliated ; 
but  that  spirit  does  not  characterize  the  people  as  a whole.  Even 
in  the  most  patriotic  Korean,  the  feeling  is  rather  one  of 
wounded  national  pride  because  a foreigner  rules,  than  of  spe- 
cial attachment  to  the  Emperor.  The  Korean  has  so  long  been 
oppressed,  he  feels  so  helpless  between  the  mighty  nations  about 
him,  that  he  has  settled  into  almost  apathetic  despair.  The 
decisive  methods  of  the  Japanese  are  doing  much  to  stir  the 
Koreans  out  of  this  apathy,  but  it  still  prevails  to  a marked  de- 
gree. The  Korean  temperament,  too,  is  more  emotional  than 
that  of  the  Japanese  or  Chinese.  It  is  comparatively  easy  to 
reach  his  heart  and  to  arouse  his  S3'mpathies.  This  is  one  rea- 
son why  Christianity  has  made  more  rapid  progress  in  Korea 
than  in  either  China  or  Japan.  There  is  little  of  the  virile  am- 
bition of  the  Japanese,  little  of  the  self-satisfied  superiority  of 
the  Chinese.  The  influences  that  hold  men  back  from  the  Gos- 
pel are  far  less  strong  in  Korea  than  in  China  or  Japan.  It 
might  reasonably  be  expected  therefore  that  a given  expenditure 
of  money  and  a given  force  of  missionaries  would  achieve  re- 
sults more  quickly  in  Korea  than  among  the  neighboring  na- 
tions. There  are  of  course  other  and  more  important  reasons 
for  evangelistic  success  in  Korea ; but  this  temperamental  con- 
dition is  a differentiating  factor. 

National  ambitions  also  differ.  The  desire  of  the  Japanese 
is  to  be  the  leading  Power  in  the  Far  East;  the  desire  of  the 
Chinese  is  to  be  let  alone;  the  desire  of  the  Koreans  just  now 
is  for  independence.  It  is  pathetic  to  see  them  flock  to  the  Sal- 
vation Army  officers  who  have  recently  gone  to  Korea.  They 
feel,  in  a half  childish  way,  that  the  drums  and  fifes  and  mili- 
tary imagery  mean  something  which  will  help  them  against  the 
common  enemy. 

I am  aware  of  the  limitations  of  the  distinctions  which  have 
been  indicated.  It  would  be  easy  to  specify  exceptions  in  each 
country,  but  I am  now  considering  the  peoples  as  a whole,  and 
these  fundamental  distinctions  run  deep  and  affect  many  prob- 
lems of  mission  work. 


JAPAN. 

The  Problem  of  Missionary  Relationship  to  an  Imperial 
Nation  and  a Self-Governing  Native  Church. 

Japan  is  in  some  respects  one  of  the  most  attractive  countries 
in  the  world.  One  who  has  visited  it  can  never  forget  the  charm 
of  its  hospitality,  the  neatness  of  the  homes  and  villages,  and  the 
courageous  energy  with  which  the  people  are  grappling  with 
their  new  and  difficult  problems.  Evidences  of  the  new  life 

B 


i6 


which  is  stirring  the  nation  are  apparent  on  every  hand.  Tokyo, 
the  intellectual  and  political  centre  of  the  nation,  has  become 
one  of  the  influential  cities  of  the  world.  Osaka  is  the  centre 
of  the  new  industrial  Japan  and  there  the  commercial  and 
manufacturing  enterprises  of  the  country  may  be  .‘^een  on  a 
large  scale.  The  occasional  traveler  too  often  neglects  this  city, 
which  is  one  of  the  most  distinctive  cities  of  modern  Japan. 
Kyoto  continues  to  be  the  artistic  and  Buddhistic  heart  of 
Japan.  One  does  not  expect  to  see  much  change  in  the  .sacred 
Shinto  city  of  Yamada,  or  the  shrines  and  temples  of  scenic  and 
historic  Nikko:  but  even  there  the  traveler  finds  indications  of 
progress.  The  new  highway,  three  miles  in  length,  connecting 
the  two  Shinto  shrines  at  Yamada,  is  not  surpassed  bv  any  road 
in  Europe.  Everywhere  the  traveler  is  charmed  by  the  beauty 
of  the  scenery.  There  is  no  more  attractive  country  in  the 
world  than  this  land  of  mountains  and  valleys,  of  streams  and 
gardens.  A journey  through  Japan  is  a succession  of  delights 
to  the  lover  of  nature,  and  even  the  humid  heat  of  a Japanese 
August  can  be  uncomplainingly  borne  when  one  can  look  upon 
scenes  worth  going  far  to  see. 

The  contrast  between  the  Japan  of  today  and  the  Japan 
which  I found  nine  years  ago  is  not  so  immediately  apparent 
as  one  might  imagine.  \’isibly  there  is  comparatively  little 
change.  The  charm  of  Japanese  scenery  is  still  unmarred,  save 
in  a few  places,  by  the  crass  materialism  which  in  America  lines 
our  raihvays  with  huge  signs  advertising  cathartics,  bile  beans, 
soothing  syrup,  and  pink  pills  for  pale  people.  Japanese  archi- 
tecture is  the  same,  save  that  here  and  there  a new  public  build- 
ing is  of  foreign  style.  Increasing  numbers  of  educated  men 
wear  European  dress ; but  tbe  native  garments  still  predominate 
on  the  streets.  The  railway  service  is  excellent;  but  the  jin- 
rickisha still  awaits  the  traveler  at  every  station,  and  the  bare- 
legged  runner  swiftly  draws  him  over  the  smooth  streets  and 
between  the  long  rows  of  narrow  shops  with  their  picturesque 
signs.  The  visitor  can  easily  find  external  signs  of  changing 
conditions  if  he  looks  for  them;  and  in  some  instances  they  ob- 
trude themselves.  Nevertheless.  Japan,  to  the  eye,  is  still  Japan 
— the  most  beautiful  land  of  northern  Asia. 

But  as  one  moves  among  the  people,  he  becomes  conscious 
of  subtler  changes.  Nine  years  ago,  I found  a militant  Japan. 
The  people  had  not  recovered  from  their  rage  and  chagrin  over 
Russia’s  seizure  of  Port  Arthur  and  Manchuria,  thus  depriving 
them  of  the  hard-won  fruits  of  the  China-Japan  War  of  1894. 
The  nation  was  thinking  of  revenge.  It  realized  too  that  Rus- 
sian aggressions  must  result  in  war.  It  was  therefoie  drilling 
soldiers,  building  warships  and  accumulating  military  stores. 


17 


The  Japan  of  to-day  is  not  less  militant  than  the  Japan  of 
former  years.  It  nnderstands  perfectly  that  the  Russians  will 
not  permanently  acquiesce  in  the  stinging  defeat  which  was  in- 
flicted upon  them.  The  Japanese  know  that  the  Koreans  hate 
them  and  that  the  Chinese  are  jealous  of  them.  They  know, 
too,  that  many  foreigners  throughout  the  Far  East  are  suspici- 
ous of  them.  They  discern,  moreover,  that  the  position  which 
they  have  now  won  in  the  world  in  general  and  in  the  Far  East 
in  particular  is  one  which  can  be  held  only  by  military  force. 
The  Japanese,  therefore,  arc  maintaining  their  army  and  navy 
at  a high  stage  of  efficiency.  They  do  not  need  as  lar^e  a stand- 
ing army  a.s  some  other  nations,  for  in  Japan  practically  every 
able-bodied  man  receives  military  training,  and  after  his  return 
to  civil  life,  is  amenable  to  his  country’s  call  at  any  time.  One 
hears  many  stories  to  the  effect  that  enormous  stores  of  muni- 
tions of  war  are  being  accumulated.  It  is  difficult  to  tell  how 
far  this  is  true  ; but  no  one  doubts  that  the  Japanese  are  keeping 
themselves  in  first-class  military  condition,  just  as  the  British, 
the  Germans  and  the  French  arc  keeping  themselves,  and  as  a 
strong  party  wishes  to  keep  the  United  States.  All  this  is  na- 
tural as  conditions  now  are. 

But  Japan,  while  not  less  military,  is  more  commeicial  than 
formerly.  It  understands  that  war  is  costly  business.  It  spent 
$585,000,000  in  the  Russia-Japan  V\'ar,  and  the  nation  is  stag- 
gering under  the  enormous  debt  of  $1,125,153,411,  or  $21.50 
per  capita.  People  have  to  pay  from  twenty  to  thirt}'  per  cent, 
of  their  incomes  for  taxes  and  a Tokyo  paper  (the  Kokumin 
Shimfnnf  says  that  “the  heavy  debts  of  Japan  are  more  than 
the  nation  can  endure.”  Japan  realizes  that  its  material  re- 
sources are  greatly  inferior  to  those  of  most  other  first-class 
powers,  and  that  the  position  and  ambitions  of  the  nation  re- 
quire wealth  as  well  as  an  army  and  navy. 

The  Japanese  cannot  get  this  wealth  by  agriculture  ; for  not 
only  is  Japan  a comparatively  small  country  territorially,  but 
only  about  twelve  per  cent,  of  its  area  is  easily  susceptible  of 
cultivation.  It  is  a land  of  hills  and  mountains.  The  valleys  are 
usually  rich,  but  they  are  not  extensive,  and  there  are  no  vast 
stretches  of  rich  prairie  soil  like  those  in  i\Ianchuria  and  the 
western  part  of  the  United  States. 

So  the  Japanese  have  entered  upon  a period  of  commercial 
and  industrial  development.  They  have  studied  to  good  effect 
the  example  of  England  and  are  trying  to  make  themselves  a 
manufacturing  people.  Trade  is  being  fostered  on  a large  scale. 
Factories,  the  best  modern  machinery,  extensive  shipping  inter- 
ests, and  great  business  enterprises  testify  to  the  zeal  with 
which  the  Japanese  are  entering  the  sphere  of  commercial  activ- 


i8 


ity.  When  one  considers  the  contempt  with  which  trade  was  re- 
garded by  feudal  Japan  only  a few  decades  ago,  he  is  amazed 
by  the  skill  and  persistence  with  which  the  new  Japan  is  striv- 
ing for  the  mastery  in  the  markets  of  the  world.  It  is  not  easy 
for  the  white  races  to  compete  with  them.  The  Japanese  al- 
ready lead  in  the  trade  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  dominate  that 
of  Korea  and  INIanchuria.  Thej-  are  competing  with  foreign 
and  Chinese  steamship  lines  on  the  Yang-tsze  River  to  Hankow, 
planting  their  colonies  in  every  port  city  of  the  Far  East,  and 
running  their  steamships  to  America,  India  and  Australia. 

The  advantages  of  Japan  in  this  commercial  rivalr}-  are  short 
haul,  cheap  labor,  control  of  transportation  lines  both  by  land 
and  sea,  and  government  subsidies.  Several  of  the  great  enter- 
prises of  modern  Japan  are  controlled  either  directly  or  indi- 
rectly by  the  Government.  In  some  instances,  the  Government 
owns  them  outright ; in  other  instances  high  officials  and  mem- 
bers of  the  Imperial  family  are  heavy  stockholders.  The  Finan- 
cial and  Economic  Annual  issued  by  the  Government  states  that 
in  1905,  out  of  a total  of  4.78,^  miles,  the  State  owned  and  oper- 
ated 1,531  miles  of  railway.  By  the  railway  nationalization  law 
and  the  railway  purchase  law.  passed  in  IMarch,  1906,  the  Gov- 
ernment acquired  ownership  and  control  of  all  the  lines  in  the 
country,  with  the  exception  of  a few  of  relatively  little  import- 
ance. Its  holdings  now  represent  about  ninety  per  cent,  of  the 
total  mileage.  Payment  for  the  lines  purchased  is  to  be  made 
by  public  loan  bonds  aggregating  nearly  $250,000,000.  The 
Japanese  people  are  moving  as  a unit  in  the  furtherance  of  their 
commercial  ambitions.  The  business  man  does  not  have  to  fight 
alone  for  foreign  trade,  as  the  American  tradesman  must.  He 
has  the  backing  of  the  nation.  Allied  industries  support  him. 
Shipping  companies  give  him  every  possible  advantage.  He  is, 
to  use  an  American  term,  a part  of  an  immense  “trust,”  onl}^  the 
trust  is  a government  instead  of  a corporation. 

I heard  much  criticism  of  Japanese  commercial  methods. 
European  and  American  business  men  spoke  with  great  bitter- 
ness of  their  unfairness.  They  alleged  that  Japane.se  firms  ob- 
tain railway  rebates ; that  transportation  lines  are  so  managed 
that  Japanese  firms  have  their  freight  promptly  forwarded 
while  foreign  firms  are  subject  to  ruinous  delays:  that  foreign 
labels  and  trade-marks  are  placed  upon  inferior  goods,  so  that 
it  is  difficult  to  sell  a genuine  brand  to  an  .Asiatic,  as  the  latter 
believes  that  he  can  get  the  same  brand  from  a Japanese  at  a 
lower  price.  They  also  alleged  that  foreign  traders  in  Manchuria 
are  compelled  to  pay  full  duties  upon  all  goods,  but  that  the 
Japanese,  through  their  absolute  control  of  the  only  railway, 
are  able  to  evade  the  customs.  It  was  said  that  of  twelve  mil- 


19 


lion  dollars’  worth  of  Japanese  goods  which  went  into  Dairen 
last  year,  only  three  million  dollars'  worth  paid  duty.  For  a 
long  time,  Japanese  goods  were  poured  into  Manchuria  at  An- 
tung  on  the  Yalu  River.  Then  foreign  Powers  encouraged  the 
Chinese  to  place  an  inspector  of  the  Imperial  Chinese  Customs 
at  An-tung.  The  Japanese  could  not  oppose  this,  but  they  did 
their  best  to  have  a Japanese  inspector  chosen.  An  American 
in  the  Customs  Service,  however,  was  appointed.  His  e.xperi- 
ence  in  endeavoring  to  enforce  the  laws  against  the  Japanese 
would  make  interesting  reading,  if  it  is  ever  published. 

The  rage  and  chagrin  of  European  and  American  business 
men  in  the  Far  East  can  better  be  imagined  than  described.  A 
disgusted  foreigner  declared  to  me  that  there  is  not  a white  man 
in  the  Far  East,  excert  those  who  are  in  the  employ  of  the 
Japanese,  who  are  frien  ly  toward  them,  and  that  their  domi- 
nant characteristics  are  ‘V  nceit  and  deceit.”  He  denied  not 
only  the  honesty  but  even  the  courage  of  the  Japanese,  insisting 
that  the  capture  of  Port  Arthur  was  not  due  to  the  bravery  of 
the  assailants,  but  to  the  incompetence  of  the  defenders.  He 
said  that  the  Russian  soldiers  were  as  heroic  as  any  in  the 
world : but  that  their  officers  were  drunkards  and  debauchees, 
and  that  the  War  Department,  which  should  have  sustained 
them,  was  rotten  with  corruption.  He  stated  that  at  the  battle 
of  Liao  Yang,  both  Russian  and  Japanese  Generals  gave  the  or- 
der for  retreat  at  about  the  same  time,  each  feeling  that  the 
battle  was  lost ; but  that  the  Russian  regiments  received  their 
order  first,  and  that  as  the  Japanese  saw  them  retreat,  they 
moved  forward.  He  held  that  the  anti-Japanese  agitation  in 
the  public  schools  of  San  Erancisco  was  secretly  fomented  and 
made  an  international  incident  by  the  Japanese  themselves,  in 
order  to  divert  attention  from  what  they  were  doing  in  Man- 
churia ; and  more  to  the  same  effect. 

I have  cited  these  opinions  as  they  are  illustrative  of  many 
that  I heard  in  the  Far  East.  I need  hardly  say  that  I regard 
them  as  unjust.  Their  very  bitterness  indicates  the  prejudice 
which  gave  some  of  them  birth  and  added  exaggeration  to 
others. 

Even  if  they  are  all  true,  the  Japanese  are  simply  doing  what 
it  is  notorious  that  some  American  corporations  have  been  doing 
for  years.  Rebates,  adulteration,  evasion  of  customs,  short 
weight,  unfair  crushing  of  competitors,  and  kindred  methods, 
are  not  so  unfamiliar  to  Americans  that  they  need  lift  hands  of 
holy  horror  when  they  hear  about  them  in  Asia. 

The  fact  is  that  the  white  trader  has  had,  until  recently,  his 
own  way  in  the  Far  East.  He  has  cajoled  and  bullied  and 


20 


threatened  and  bribed  the  Asiatic  to  his  heart's  content  and  his 
pocket’s  enrichment.  He  has  dominated  the  markets,  charged 
what  prices  he  pleased,  and  reaped  enormous  profits.  When  he 
has  gotten  into  trouble  with  local  authorities,  he  has  called 
upon  his  Government  to  help  him  out  of  the  scrape.  The  story 
of  the  dealing  of  western  nations  in  Asia  includes  some  of  the 
most  disgraceful  incidGits  in  history. 

Now,  for  the  first  time,  the  white  man  finds  himself  face  to 
face  with  an  Asiatic  who  can  beat  him  at  his  own  game.  The 
Japanese  are  commercially  ambitious  and  want  those  rich  mar- 
kets for  themselves.  They  are  going  after  them  and  getting 
them.  It  is  rather  late  in  the  day  for  white  men  to  go  into  par- 
oxysms of  grief  and  indignation  over  commercial  methods 
which  they  themselves  have  long  practiced. 

I do  not  mean  to  be  understood  as  excusing  such  methods  in 
the  Japanese  or  anyone  else.  1 am  simply  calling  attention  to 
the  fact  that  the  Japanese  are  a strong,  alert,  aggressive  and 
ambitious  people,  who  have  precisel}'  those  ambitions  for  su- 
premacy which  characterize  white  men. 

The  Japanese  are  developing  almost  as  much  of  a colonizing 
spirit  as  the  Chinese.  Like  the  latter,  they  are  seeking  distant 
lands,  and  like  them,  too,  they  are  succeeding  in  them.  The  pres- 
sure of  population  in  Japan  has  already  been  noted.  The  Em- 
pire had  37,017,362  inhabitants  in  1883;  39,607,254  in  1888;  41, 
388,313  in  1893;  43.7^^.855  in  1898;  46,732,807  in  1903;  48, 
649,583  in  1906;  and  it  now  has  50,370,000  exclusive  of  For- 
mosa and  Korea.  The  cost  of  living  is  rising.  The  limit  of  soil 
productiveness  has  been  reached  and  Japan  has  to  import  food 
for  her  people.  Last  year  she  purchased  abroad  4,296,418  pi- 
culs of  rice,  chiefly  from  China,  Siam  and  Burma,  and  4,294,- 
267  piculs  of  beans,  the  latter  largely  from  Manchuria.  She 
bought  fiour  in  the  b'nited  States  to  make  bread  for  her  troops 
during  the  war,  and  her  imports  of  this  staple  in  the  following 
year  cost  her  $1,819,166.  It  will  readily  be  understood  that  pos- 
session of  h'ormosa,  Korea  and  Lower  IManchuria  and  a 
strong  navy  mean  the  very  life  of  the  nation. 

Japan’s  new  and  rapidly  enlarging  foreign  trade  also  involves 
the  residence  in  other  lands  of  some  of  her  subjects.  I have 
referred  elsewhere  in  this  report  to  the  large  Japanese  popula- 
tion in  Korea,  Manchuria  and  the  ports  of  China.  Ever}'one 
knows  about  the  large  Japanese  population  in  Formosa  and  the 
Hawaiian  Islands.  The  following  figures  regarding  the  Japan- 
ese population  in  the  United  States  have  been  furnished  me  by 
the  Japanese  Consul  General  in  New  York: 


21 


Under  the  Consulate  General  at  New  York; 

(comprising  the  17  States  of  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Ver- 
mont, Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island.  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
(Connecticut,  Pennsylvania,  Delaware,  Maryland,  Virginia, 

West  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Georgia  and 

Florida;  District  of  Columbia.)  .3,469 

Under  the  Consulate  at  Chicago ; 

(comprising  the  20  States  of  Indiana,  Illinois,  Michigan,  Wis- 
consin, Minnesota,  Iowa,  Missouri,  Kentucky,  North  Dakota, 


South  Dakota,  Nebraska,  Kansas,  Ohio,  Tennessee,  Alabama, 
Mississippi  Arkansas,  Louisiana,  Texas,  Oklahoma  and  In- 
dian Territory.)  2,334 

Lender  the  Consulate  General  at  San  Francisco : 

(comprising  the  four  States  of  California,  (Colorado,  Utah, 
Nevada,  and  two  territories  of  New  Me.xico  and  Arizona) . . . 44,883 
Under  the  Consulate  at  Portland : 

(State  of  Oregon)  3,403 

Under  the  Consulate  at  Seattle : 

(comprising  the  States  of  Montana,  Wyoming,  Idaho,  Wash- 
ington and  Alaska)  17,633 


Total  71,712 


A discussion  of  the  problem  of  Japanese  emigration  to  the 
United  States  does  not  fall  within  the  scope  of  this  report.  The 
agitation  in  California  and  the  national  complications  that  en- 
sued are  well  known.  Lest  we  be  misled  by  the  newspaper  re- 
ports about  the  danger  of  having  “great  numbers  of  Japanese 
men  sitting  besides  little  American  girls”  in  the  schools  of  San 
Francisco,  we  may  recall  the  results  of  inquiries  by  Mr.  George 
Kennan,  as  published  in  the  “Outlook”  of  June,  1907.  He 
found  that  of  28,736  pupils  in  the  public  schools  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, only  93  were  Japanese;  that  28  of  these  were  girls;  that 
34  of  the  boys  were  under  fifteen  }’ears  of  age;  that  of  the  31 
over  fifteen  years,  only  two  were  as  old  as  twenty,  and  that  the 
average  age  of  the  rest  was  seventeen.  All  but  six  were  in 
grades  with  Americans  of  the  same  age.  The  number  of  “Jap- 
anese men  sitting  beside  little  American  girls”  therefore  con- 
sisted of  just  six  youths  under  twenty,  and  these  were  divided 
among  four  schools — one  in  each  of  three  schools  and  three  in 
the  other. 

MISSIONS  IN  JAPAN. 

The  story  of  Protestant  Missions  in  Japan  is  replete  with  in- 
terest. It  is  difficult  to  realize  that  it  is  only  fifty  years  since 
the  first  missionary  arrived  in  Japan,  and  that  the  pioneer  mis- 
sionary of  our  own  Church,  James  C.  Hepburn,  LL.D.,  is  still 
living.  When  he  arrived  in  1859,  he  was  not  permitted  to 
preach ; and  the  only  opportunity  that  he  could  find  to  do  any- 
thing, except  literary;  work  in  his  own  study,  was  to  teach  Eng- 
lish to  a few  boys  whose  fathers  were  desirous  of  having  them 
learn  the  leading  language  of  western  nations. 


22 


Contrast  with  this  liumble  beginning,  and  the  equally  hum- 
ble beginnings  of  other  missionaries  of  that  day,  the  following 
facts  stated  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Davis,  of  the  American  Board  at 
the  Semi-Centennial  Celebration  of  Protestant  Missions  in 
Tokyo  last  October:  “There  are  now  nearly  600  organized 

churches  in  Japan.  Alore  than  one-fourth  are  self-supporting. 
These  churches  have  a membership  exceeding  70,000.  Last 
year  the  membership  increased  ten  per  cent.  There  are  nearly 
500  ordained  Japanese  workers,  600  unordained  male  workers, 
200  Bible  women,  and  nearly  100,000  scholars  are  taught  in 
over  1,000  Sunday  Schools.  There  are  about  4,000  students  in 
Christian  boarding  schools,  and  there  are  too  Christian  kinder- 
gartens and  other  day  schools  where  8,000  scholars  are  taught. 
About  400  students  are  trained  in  the  theological  schools,  and 
250  women  in  women  Bible  schools.  Several  of  the  larger 
churches  have  organized  missionar}’  societies  which  are  extend- 
ing the  work  in  Japan  and  in  Formosa,  Korea,  Manchuria  and 
China.  The  Protestant  Christians  gave  for  Christian  work  last 
year  nearly  300,000  Yen  ($150,000).” 

At  the  same  Conference,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Imbrie,  of  our  East 
Japan  Mission,  made  an  address  in  which  he  said:  “Fifty  years 
ago,  notice-boards  were  standing  on  the  highways  declaring 
Christianity  a forbidden  religion ; today  these  same  notice- 
boards  are  seen  standing  in  the  Museum  in  Tokyo  as  things  of 
historical  interest.  Fifty  years  ago,  religious  liberty  was  a 
phrase  not  yet  minted  in  Japan;  today  it  is  written  in  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  nation.  Less  than  fifty  years  ago,  the  Christian 
Scriptures  could  be  printed  only  in  secret ; today  Bible  Societies 
scatter  them  far  and  wide  without  let  or  hindrance.  Fifty  years 
ago,  there  was  not  a Protestant  Christian  in  Japan;  today  they 
are  to  be  found  among  the  members  of  the  Imperial  Diet,  the 
judges  in  the  courts,  the  professors  in  the  Imperial  Cniversity, 
the  editors  of  influential  newspapers,  the  officers  of  the  army 
and  navy.  Even  forty  years  ago,  there  was  not  an  organized 
Church  in  all  Japan;  today  there  are  Synods  and  Conferences 
and  Associations  with  congregations  dotting  the  Empire  from 
the  Hokkaido  to  Formosa.  Today,  Christians  from  north  and 
south  and  east  and  west  gather  together  in  the  capital  to  cele- 
brate the  Semi-Centennial  of  the  planting  of  Protestant  Chris- 
tianity in  Japan,  and  men  of  high  position  in  the  nation  cordially 
recognize  the  fact  that  Christianity  in  Japan  has  won  for  itself 
a place  worthy  of  recognition.  It  sometimes  happens  that  the 
participants  in  a scene  do  not  themselves  clearly  perceive  the 
meaning  of  the  scene;  but  in  truth  this  assembl}'  in  itself  is  a 
fact  of  profound  significance.” 


23 


Tlie  Rev.  Allen  Klein  Fanst,  Ph.D.,  in  his  “Christianity  as  a 
Social  Factor  in  Modern  Japan,”  says  that  there  are  1,031  for- 
eign missionaries  in  Japan,  1,847  Japanese  minister'^,  evangel- 
ists, missionaries  and  teachers  engaged  in  work;  161,228  com- 
municant members  of  churches,  and  a half  million  adherents. 
That  is,  one  in  every  one  hundred  of  the  population  is  an  adher- 
ent of  Christianity,  and  one  in  every  320  is  a baptized  communi- 
cant. These  figures  include  the  Greek  and  Roman  Catholic 
Missions.  Protestants  have  186  schools  with  I7>^64  students; 
Roman  Catholics,  51  schools  with  6,183  students,  and  Greek 
Catholics  3 schools  with  328  students. 

The  influence  of  Christianity  is  far  greater  than  these  figures 
would  indicate.  In  most  countries,  Christianity  made  its  first 
converts  among  the  lower  strata  of  society;  but  in  Japan  it  has 
won  its  greatest  successes  among  the  Samurai  or  knightly  class. 
This  is  the  class  which  has  furnished  the  majoiity  of  the  army 
and  navy  officers,  journalists,  legislators,  educators,  and  leading 
men  generally  of  the  new  Japan.  It  can  readily  be  understood, 
therefore,  that  the  Japanese  churches  have  a strength  out  of 
all  proportion  to  their  numbers.  Fourteen  members  of  the 
Lower  House  are  Christians.  A former  President  of  the  House 
was  a Presbyterian  elder.  Christians  may  be  found  among  in- 
fluential men  in  almost  every  walk  of  life.  The  character  of 
their  faith  and  the  example  which  they  set  is  indicated  by  the 
following  incident ; 

An  explosion  occurred  on  a Japanese  battleship.  The  son  of 
a Vice-Admiral  was  involved  in  the  wreckage.  While  search 
was  being  made  for  the  bodies,  many  prominent  Japanese  called 
upon  the  mother  to  offer  their  condolence.  She  told  them  that 
she  felt  the  need  of  the  consolations  of  the  Christian  religion  in 
that  time  of  anxiety,  and  she  called  upon  her  Japanese  pastor 
to  read  the  Word  of  God  and  to  offer  prayer.  He  was  a young 
man  who  had  been  recently  graduated  from  the  Theological 
Seminary.  It  was  a difficult  position  for  him  ; but  with  tact  and 
fidelity  he  opened  the  New  Testament  and  directed  the  hearts  of 
all  to  the  throne  of  God,  while  Japanese  in  high  official  position, 
some  of  whom  had  never  heard  such  words  before,  bowed  with 
the  anxious  mother.  Later,  the  body  of  the  son  was  found.  The 
stricken  parents  announced  that  the  public  funeral  would  be  fol- 
lowed by  a Christian  service,  and  that  any  of  their  friends  who 
wished  to  come  would  be  welcome.  A distinguished  company 
assembled.  The  young  Japanese  again  spoke,  impressively 
dwelling  upon  the  Christian  meaning  of  death  and  the  comfort 
which  God  gives  to  His  children  in  the  time  of  need.  Such  an 
evidence  of  Christian  faith,  wholly  independent  of  the  presence 


24 


or  suggestion  of  any  foreign  missionary,  is  as  encouraging  as  it 
is  touching. 

The  results  of  missionary  work  are  usually  judged  by  statis- 
tical reports  and  inquiry  is  made  as  to  the  number  of  converts, 
churches,  schools,  hospitals,  etc.  But  there  are  notable  evi- 
dences of  Christian  influence  of  a kind  which  cannot  be  tabulat- 
ed in  statistical  tables.  It  may  be  interesting  to  note  a few  inci- 
dents illustrative  of  this : 

Seven  years  ago,  the  pupils  of  the  Government  schools  in  a 
certain  city  were  not  allowed  to  attend  the  Sunday  School  of 
our  Japanese  church.  Now  they  are  not  only  free  to  attend, 
but  six  of  the  teachers  are  Christians  and  four  of  them  teach  in 
that  Sunday  School.  Three  successive  principals  of  the  Gov- 
ernment Nonual  School  in  the  same  city  and  several  of  the 
teachers  from  the  Normal  and  other  public  schools,  although 
not  Christians,  have  been  members  of  the  Bible  Class  taught  by 
a missionary. 

In  another  city,  I obtained  equally  suggestive  facts.  There 
are  five  classes  in  the  Government  School.  In  the  first  year 
class,  there  were  47  believers  in  Shintoism ; in  the  second  year 
class  31  ; in  the  third  year  cla.ss  ii  ; in  the  fourth  year  class  8. 
and  in  the  fifth  class,  the  graduating  class,  only  three.  These 
statistics  were  published  by  the  Japane.se  Principal  of  the 
school.  They  show  how  education  is  affecting  Shintoism,  even 
in  the  Government  Schools  which  are  supposed  to  be  most  fav- 
orable to  it.  The  same  report  of  the  Principal  showed  that  there 
were  seven  students  who  were  Christians,  all  of  whom  were  in 
the  two  highest  classes.  Of  the  five  who  stood  at  the  head  of 
the  graduating  class,  four  were  Christians.  The  Principal  re- 
ported that  fourteen  other  students  gave  “no  religion”  in  re- 
sponse to  his  inquiries,  but  stated  that  they  were  "inquirers.” 
The  missionary  asked  the  Principal  what  they  were  mquirers 
of,  and  he  replied:  "Christianity.” 

A hired  sensationalist  has  declared  in  a recent  magazine  ar- 
ticle that  Christianity  is  exerting  no  appreciable  influence  in 
Japan.  He  quotes  an  alleged  statement  to  that  effect  from  a 
Japanese  Lhiiversity  President.  I heard  that  President  say 
something  about  mission  work  in  Japan  which  was  not  in  har- 
mony with  what  the  magazine  writer  reports  him  to  have  said. 
Even  if  he  did  make  the  statement  which  is  attributed  to  him, 
we  may  fairly  set  over  against  it  not  only  the  facts  that  have 
been  cited  but  the  teaching  of  an  eminent  Professor  of  the  Im- 
perial L niversity  at  Tokyo  that  “at  least  a million  Japanese  out- 
side the  Christian  Church  have  so  come  to  understand  Chris- 
tianity that,  though  as  yet  unbaptized,  they  are  framing  their 
lives  according  to  the  teachings  of  Christ.”* 


• Reported  by  G.  W.  Rawlings  in  "The  East  and  West,"  January,  1910. 


25 


This  thought  is  emphasized  by  Mr.  Kanzo  Uchimura,  a 
prominent  Japanese  Christian,  though  not  connected  with  any 
Church,  who  declared  recently  in  a published  article : 

"VV'e  must  not  forget  that  there  are  hundreds  and  thousands  of 
Christians  in  Japan  who  have  had  nothing  to  do  with  missionaries,  and 
who  naturally,  on  that  account,  would  take  little  or  no  interest  in  such 
a conference.  That  there  are  Christians  in  this  country  who  were  not 
converted  by  missionaries  or  their  agents,  and  who  without  belonging 
to  any  Church  and  knowing  nothing  about  dogmas  and  sacraments  and 
ecclesiastical  orders,  are  yet  devout  believers  in  God  and  Christ,  is  a 
fact  very  little  known,  I think.  But  that  such  is  a fact  is  incontro- 
vertible. 

“There  is  such  a thing  as  ‘Christianity  outside  of  Churches’,  and  it 
is  taking  hold  of  the  Japanese  people  far  more  strongly  than  the  mis- 
sionaries imagine.  The  western  idea,  that  a religion  must  show  itself 
in  an  organized  fornr  before  it  can  be  recognized  as  a religion  at  all,  is 
alien  to  the  Japanese  mind.  With  us,  religion  is  more  a family  affair 
than  national  or  social,  as  is  shown  by  the  strong  hold  that  Confucianism 
has  had  upon  us,  without  showing  itself  in  any  organized  societies  and 
movements.  And  I am  confident  that  Christianity  is  now  slowly  but 
steadily  taking  the  place  of  Confucianism  as  the  family  religion  of  the 
Japanese.,  Indeed,  I can  cite  a number  of  cases  where  Christianity  has 
been  adopted  in  this  form  by  my  countrymen.  As  far  as  I see,  Christi- 
anity is  making  progress  in  this  country  far  ahead  of  missionaries.  This 
new  form  of  Christianity  adopted  by  my  countrymen  is  neither  Ortho- 
dox nor  Unitarian.  We  go  to  Jesus  of  N'azareth  directly,  and  aim  to 
live  and  be  made  like  Him.  And  I am  confident  that  in  making  this 
statement,  I voice  a sentiment  of  many  both  known  and  unknown  to 
me,  who  are  disciples  of  Christ  without  having  any  connection  with  so 
called  Churches.” 

If  Still  higher  authority  is  desired,  it  may  be  found  in  the  re- 
markable address  of  Count  Okuma,  former  Prime  ^Minister  of 
Japan,  at  the  Semi-Centennial  of  Protestant  Christianity  in 
Tokyo  as  reported  in  the  Japan  Daily  IMail,  October  9,  1909, 
as  follows : 

‘‘He  was  glad  of  this  opportunity  to  express  a word  of  hearty  con- 
gratulation to  those  who  were  assembled  to  celebrate  this  semi-centen- 
nial of  Christian  work  in  Japan.  Though  not  himself  a professed  Chris- 
tian, he  confessed  to  have  received  great  influence  from  that  creed,  as 
have  many  others  throughout  Japan.  This  is  a most  important  anniver- 
sary for  the  country.  It  represents  the  work  of  one  whole  age  in  our 
history,  during  which  most  marvelous  changes  have  taken  place.  He 
came  in  contact  with,  and  received  great  impulses  from,  some  of  the 
missionaries  of  that  early  period,  particularly  from  Dr.  Verbeck,  who 
was  his  teacher  in  English  and  history  and  the  Bible,  and  whose  great 
and  virtuous  influence  he  can  never  forget.  Though  he  could  do  little 
direct  evangelistic  work  then,  all  his  work  was  Christian,  and  in  every- 
thing he  did,  his  Christian-like  spirit  was  revealed.  The  coming  of 
missionaries  to  Japan  was  the  means  of  linking  this  country  to  th.e 
.■\nglo-Saxon  spirit  to  which  the  heart  of  Japan  has  always  responded. 
The  success  of  Christian  work  in  Japan  can  be  measured  by  the  extent 
to  which  it  has  been  able  to  infuse  the  .Anglo-Sa.xon  and  the  Christian 
spirit  into  the  nation.  It  has  been  the  means  of  putting  into  these  fifty 
years  an  advance  equivalent  to  that  of  one  hundred  years.  Japan  has  a 


26 


history  of  2,500  years,  and  1,500  years  ago  had  advanced  in  civilization 
and  domestic  arts,  but  never  took  wide  views  nor  entered  upon  wide 
work.  Only  by  the  coming  of  the  West  in  its  missionary  representatives, 
and  by  the  spread  of  the  Gospel,  did  the  nation  enter  upon  world-wide 
thoughts  and  world-wide  work.  This  is  a great  result  of  the  Christian 
spirit.  To  be  sure,  Japan  had  her  religions,  and  Buddhism  prospered 
greatly;  but  this  prosperity  was  largely  through  political  means,  Xow 
this  creed  has  been  practically  rejected  by  the  better  classes,  who,  being 
spiritually  thirsty,  have  nothing  to  drink. 

"While  extending  congratulations  upon  the  advance  made  thus  far, 
he  prayed  for  still  greater  effort  and  advance  in  the  future  and  such 
advance  as  should  be  manifest  in  lives  of  lofty  virtue  of  the  Verbeck 
kind.  To  teach  the  Bible  was  all  right,  but  to  act  it  was  better.  Japan 
is  well  advanced  in  scientilic  knowledge,  but  head  and  heart  are  not  yet 
on  a level.  Profession  and  conduct  ought  to  go  together.  Only  thus 
can  evangelistic  work  be  counted  a success." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  Loomis,  of  Yokohama,  says  that  more 
than  5,000,000  copies  of  the  whole  Bible,  the  Xew  Testament, 
and  various  portions  of  the  Bible  have  been  circulated  in  Japan 
during  the  last  thirty  years ; that  the  demand  is  still  so  great 
that  18,845  Bibles,  83.410  Testaments  and  255,540  portions 
were  sold  during  the  last  year  ( 1909  ).  and  that  the  Word  of 
God  is  the  best  selling  book  in  Japan  today. 

The  secular  press  does  not  fail  to  note  the  trend,  for  we  find 
in  the  "Japanese  Advertiser"  for  December  25th  last,  the  fol- 
lowing editorial : 

"There  can  be  no  gainsaying  that  the  Christmas  season,  quite  apart 
from  its  religious  significance,  is  making  great  headway  in  this  country. 
.A.  walk  through  the  streets  of  Tokyo  today  gives  abundant  evidence  of 
the  influence  of  the  season,  for  all  the  shops  are  stocked  with  goods 
that  are  associated  with  the  foreign  Christmas  quite  as  much  as  with 
the  Japanese  new  year.  In  the  tram  cars,  one  sees  advertisements  of 
Christmas  novelties,  crackers  and  the  like,  intended  for  the  Japanese  eye. 
Dotted  throughout  the  city  are  the  Christian  churches,  each  one  of  which 
is  now  engaged  in  celebrating  the  holy  season  with  religious  services, 
as  well  as  sacred  concerts  and  other  entertainments  suitable  to  the  occa- 
sion. It  must  be  conceded  that  Christianity  is  making  great  progress  in 
a country  where  its  principal  festivals  are  coming  to  be  accepted  by  the 
mass  of  the  people,  even  if  that  acceptation  is  only  concerned  with  the 
purely  secular  manifestations  of  the  faith.  It  is  a great  stride  forward 
compared  to  what  it  was  only  a few  years  ago  when  the  attitude  of 
the  people  was  still  antagonistic  toward  the  religion  which,  together 
with  all  its  associations,  they  regarded  with  contempt.  Doubtless  those 
whose  memory  carries  them  back  a generation  could  describe  vividly 
the  changes  that  have  come  over  the  people  in  this  connection.” 

I would  not  make  too  much  of  these  facts.  Japan  is  still  far 
from  being  a Christian  nation.  The  obstacles  yet  to  be  sur- 
mounted are  numerous  and  formidable.  But  it  is  indisputable 
that  Christian  ideas  are  permeating  the  literature  and  the  think- 
ing of  Japan  to  a far  greater  extent  than  is  commonly  realized. 
Who  can  tell  how  much  of  the  development  of  modern  Japan 
was  influenced  by  such  pioneer  missionaries  as  \"erbeck  and 


27 


Hepburn  and  their  associates?  \’erbeck  was  the  trusted  ad- 
viser of  Japanese  statesmen,  and  one  of  the  boys  whom  Dr. 
Hepburn  taught  in  that  little  English  class  half  a century  ago 
was  Hayashi,  who  became  Prime  Minister  of  Japan.  The  Rev. 
Dr.  Greene  of  the  .American  P>oard  declares  that  “hardly  ever 
before  in  any  land,  has  Christianity  borne  riper  or  more  varied 
fruit  at  so  early  a stage  in  its  history.  And  it  is  a matter  for 
great  rejoicing  that  with  this  growth  in  numbers  and  this  multi- 
plicity of  labors,  there  has  been  manifested  an  increasing  sense 
of  responsibility  for  the  evangelization  of  Japan.  There  has  al- 
ready grown  up  a large  body  of  self-supporting  churches  which 
are  deeply  imbued  with  the  belief  that  it  is  their  dutv  to  prove 
to  the  world  that  Christianity  is  no  longer  an  exotic,  but  has 
planted  its  roots  firml}^  in  Japanese  soil.” 

It  is  not  necessary  to  enlarge  further  upon  the  progress  of 
Christian  Alissions  in  Japan,  partly  because  it  is  so  clearly 
stated  in  the  admirable  annual  volume  entitled  “The  Christian 
Movement  in  Japan."  and  partly  because  the  information  pre- 
sented to  the  Semi-Centennial  of  Protestant  Alissions  is  shortly 
to  be  available  in  printed  form.  I hope  that  every  reader  of 
these  pages  will  secure  these  two  volumes. 

I confess  to  a deep  and  sympathetic  interest  in  the  future  of 
the  Japanese.  Irritating  as  some  of  their  methods  are,  trying 
as  it  is  for  the  proud  and  arrogant  Anglo-Saxon  to  feel  that  at 
last  he  has  met  a competitor  whom  he  cannot  easil}-  overcome,  I 
confess  that  these  things  increase  rather  than  diminish  my  mis- 
sionary ardor.  Here  is  a people  whom  it  is  worth  while  to 
reach.  .Are  we  to  concentrate  our  activities  on  inferior  peoples? 
Has  Christ  no  message  for  the  strong  and  masterful  races  of 
the  non-Christian  world?  I like  the  Japanese  the  moi'e  because 
they  are  united,  ambitious  and  aggressive.  I do  not  defend  their 
vices  any  more  than  I defend  the  vices  of  my  countrymen ; bul 
I want  to  see  the  Japanese  united  with  the  best  people  of  Eu- 
rope and  America  in  the  service  of  Christ.  Forces  and  tempta- 
tions which  prevail  in  America,  but  which  numerous  and  power- 
ful Christian  chui'ches  help  us  to  fight,  are  surging  into  Japan 
where  the  opposing  forces  of  righteousness  are  still  compara- 
tively new  and  small.  It  is  Christ  alone  that  keeps  the  EMited 
States  from  utter  moral  lawlessness  and  disintegration.  W'e 
ought  to  be  profoundly  concerned  that  the  Japanese  should  have 
the  same  Christ  to  help  them.  I want  to  see  Christian  Missions 
in  Japan  strengthened,  not  because  I regard  the  Japanese  as  in- 
feriors, not  because  I feel  that  we  deserve  any  credit  for  the 
knowledge  of  Chri.st  which  was  brought  to  us  from  tiie  outside, 
but  because  I regard  the  Japanese  as  brethren,  and  because  I 
know  that  they  need  the  same  Christ  that  I need. 


28 


The  Japanese  already  have  a political  vision.  They  dream  of 
the  leadership  of  Asia,  and  they  are  preparing  for  it  with  a 
skill  and  energy'  which  elicit  the  wonder  of  the  world.  They  al- 
ready have  a commercial  vision,  and  they  are  strenuously  trying 
to  realize  it.  They  already  have  an  intellectual  vision,  and  they 
have  built  up  one  of  the  best  educational  systems  in  the  world. 
Baron  Kikuchi  says  that  ninety-six  per  cent,  of  the  children  of 
school  age  in  Japan  are  in  schools,  the  highest  percentage  of 
any  nation  in  the  world,  ^^’hat  Japan  now  needs  is  a spiritual 
vision  which  will  purify  and  glorify'  these  other  visions. 

This  vision  of  Christ  is  vital  to  the  future  of  Japan.  Few 
foreigners  have  been  so  deeply  in  sympathy  with  the  Japanese 
as  the  late  Lafcadio  Hearn  ; but  in  his  chapter  on  “The  Genius 
of  Japanese  Civilization"  he  wrote:  “The  psychologist  knows 
that  the  so-called  adoption  of  western  civilization  within  a time 
of  thirty  years  cannot  mean  the  addition  to  the  Japanese  brain 
of  any'  organs  or  power  previously  absent  from  it.  He  knows 
that  it  cannot  mean  any  sud'lcn  change  in  the  mental  or  moral 
character  of  the  race.  Such  changes  are  not  made  in  a genera- 
tion. Transmitted  civilization  works  much  more  slowly',  re- 
quiring even  hundreds  of  years  to  produce  certain  permanent 
psychological  results.  . . .It  is  quite  evident  that  the  mental  re- 
adjustments. effected  at  a cost  which  remains  to  be  told,  have 
given  good  results  only'  along  directions  in  which  the  race  has 
always  shown  capacities  of  special  kinds Nothing  remark- 

able has  been  done,  however,  in  directions  foreign  to  the  na- 
tional genius To  imagine  that  the  emotional  character  of 

an  Oriental  race  could  be  transformed  in  the  short  space  of 

thirty  years  by  the  contact  of  Occidental  ideas  is  absurd 

All  that  Japan  has  been  able  to  do  so  miraculously  well  has 
been  done  without  anv  selOtransformation,  and  those  who  im- 
agine her  emotionally  closer  to  us  today  than  she  may  have  been 
thirty  years  ago,  ignore  the  facts  of  science  which  admit  of  no 
argument."* 

The  Japanese  mind  has  long  been  adapted  to  war,  to  politics, 
and  to  certain  kinds  of  industrial  and  scientific  development. 
Knowledge  of  western  methods  and  discoveries  has  simply 
enabled  the  Japanese  to  do  more  effectively  and  on  a larger 
scale  what  they  had  been  doing  after  a fashion  before.  The 
spiritual  realm,  however,  is  a new  world  to  them.  Shintoism 
and  Buddhism  have  not  known,  and  therefore  could  not  make 
known,  a personal  God. 

In  his  instructive  book  “The  Future  of  Japan,’’  W.  Petrie 
Watson  declares  that  religion,  conceived  as  God  anrl  as  a final 
and  sufficient  explanation  of  all  phenomena,  is  not  a Japanese 


• Kokoro,  pp.  16-18. 


29 


notion ; and  that  of  religion  as  it  is  conceived  in  Europe,  there 
is  little  or  none  in  Japan.  The  Japanese  regard  religion  as 
subordinate  in  life,  and  the  temper  of  their  mind  is  such  that  it 
IS  usually  difficult  for  them  to  acquire  a just  view  of  its  author- 
ity and  indispensableness  in  individual  and  national  existence. 
His  conclusion  is  that  Japan  is  addressing  herself  to  the  great 
responsibilities  of  the  modern  world  without  any  religion  at  all, 
in  the  proper  sense  of  the  term;  and  that  the  effort  is  pathetic 
and  disappointing  rather  than  heroic  and  inspiring,  since  there 
is  no  fresh  beginning  of  history  which  has  not  been  born  from 
a new  religion  or  from  the  new  interpretation  of  an  existing 
religion.  He  admires  the  administrative  efficiency  with  which 
Japan  is  doing  her  work  at  present,  and  the  splendid  enthusiasm 
which  it  is  bringing  to  its  present  tasks ; but  even  savages  are 
often  recklessly  brave  and  eagerly  willing  to  die  for  their  lead- 
er. There  is  therefore  reason  for  profound  anxiety  as  we  study 
the  relations  which  Japan  has  formed  with  the  modern  world 
and  the  power  that  she  is  exerting.  Only  as  the  Japanese  grasp 
Christ’s  high  ideals  of  life  and  build  upon  the  soliel  foundation 
of  Christ's  teachings  will  they  be  able  to  maintain  themselves 
as  a great  power.  The  Japanese  must  be  brought  within  view 
of  the  necessity  of  a religious  interpretation  of  life,  ampler, 
clearer  and  more  categorical  than  that  which  they  have  found 
or  can  find  either  in  a religion  of  loyalty,  or  in  Bushi-do,  or  in 
esoteric  Buddhism,  or  in  superstitious  Shintoism.  Japan  can 
not  hope  to  reap  the  results  of  the  religion  of  Europe  without 
an  ultimate  reckoning  with  their  case.* 

Thoughtful  Japanese  are  beginning  to  see  this.  Various 
utterances  of  her  leading  men  might  be  cited.  Baron  Makino, 
Minister  of  Education,  said  to  the  secretary  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A. : 
“We  are  greatly  distressed  about  the  moral  condition  of  the 
students  and  the  low  character  of  the  ordinarv  lodging  houses 
where  young  men  live  and  shall  welcome  whatever  help  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  can  do  to  help  solve  the 
problem.”  Prince  Ito,  in  a notable  address,  laid  down  the  fol- 
lowing propositions  : ( i ) That  no  nation  could  prosper  without 
material  improvement.  (2)  That  material  prosperity  cannot 
last  long  wdthout  a moral  backbone.  (3)  That  the  strongest 
backbone  is  that  which  has  a religious  sanction  behind  it.J 
Equally  significant  was  the  remark  of  Baron  Shibusawa,  the 
distinguished  chairman  of  the  commission  of  reptesentative 
business  men  of  Japan  which  visited  the  United  States  last 
fall.  In  an  address  at  a banquet  in  New  York  he  declared: 
“Japan  in  the  future  must  base  her  morality  on  religion.  It 


* "The  Future  of  Japan."  cf.  e.specially  chapters  XIV,  XXVIII  and  XXX. 
t The  Japan  Mail,  Sept.  4,  1909. 


30 


must  be  a religion  that  does  not  rest  on  an  empty  or  supersti- 
tious faith,  like  that  of  some  of  the  Buddhist  sects  in  our  land ; 
but  must  be  like  the  one  that  prevails  in  your  own  country, 
which  manifests  its  power  over  men  by  filling  them  with  good 
works.” 

The  very  solidarity  of  the  Japanese  would  make  their  influ- 
ence for  Christ  more  powerful  than  that  of  almost  any  other 
people  in  Asia.  Some  missionaries  indeed  regard  this  soli- 
darity as  a fonuidable  obstacle  to  the  success  of  Christianity. 
A paper  was  read  at  Karuizawa  which  described  it  in  a way 
which  suggested  the  verge  of  despair.  “Only  the  power  of  the 
Almighty  can  enable  the  Church  to  overcome !”  exclaimed  the 
reader.  Precisely;  but  “He  is  able,”  and  we  are  “workers  to- 
gether with  Him.”  “Therefore,  seeing  we  have  this  ministry 
we  faint  not.”  The  spirit  of  self-sacrifice  which  is  so  promi- 
nent in  the  Japanese  character,  the  absolute  willingness  to  dare 
and  to  die  for  the  nation  which  hurled  the  Japanese  army  corps 
as  one  man  upon  the  fortifications  of  Port  Arthur  and  enabled 
them  to  capture  what  probably  no  other  amiy  in  the  world 
could  have  captured,  would,  if  pervaded  and  inspired  by  the 
\'ision  of  Christ,  make  the  Japanese  among  the  most  effective 
missionaries  that  the  world  has  known.  To  give  them  the 
Christ  who  can  do  this  is  worthy  of  every  possible  effort  on 
our  part.  It  is  a great  privilege  to  be  a missionary  to  such  a 
people.  They  still  need  our  help.  Let  us  give  it  to  them  in  a 
laro^er  measure,  with  richer  sympathy,  and  more  earnest  prayer. 

CO-OPERATION  WITH  THE  CHURCH 
OF  CHRIST. 

.Attractive  a mission  field  as  Japan  is  in  many  respects,  it  is 
in  others  one  of  peculiar  difficult}-.  Indeed,  it  may  be  doubted 
whether  there  is  any  other  field  in  the  world  whose  difficulties 
involve  a greater  strain  upon  missionaries.  Problems  which, 
in  other  fields,  have  not  yet  arisen  or  are  in  their  earlier  stages, 
have  in  Japan  become  acute  and  portentous.  The}'  are  not 
wholly  peculiar  to  Japan;  they  are  already  emerging  in  several 
other  countries  and  they  must  sooner  or  later  arise  in  all  our 
fields,  unless  our  work  is  to  fail.  .Absence  of  the  problem  of 
the  Native  Church  would  mean  the  absence  of  the  Church,  or 
at  least  of  one  that  is  good  for  anything.  It  is  a problem 
which  grows  out  of  success,  not  of  failure.  Japan  is  simply 
the  first  country  in  which  this  problem  has  assumed  overshad- 
owing proportions. 

This  is  partly  because  of  the  temperament  of  the  Japanese 
people.  They  are  the  most  aleVt.  ambitious  and  aggiessive  of 
all  non-Christian  peoples.  It  is  partly  also  because  converts  in 


31 


Japan  have  not  come  so  generally  from  the  lower  classes,  as  in 
most  other  countries,  but  chiefly  from  the  Samurai,  the  old 
knightly  class,  which  has  given  Japan  the  majority  of  its  army 
and  navy  officers,  and  its  leaders  in  politics  and  in  commercial 
development.  While  approximately  one  person  in  every  thou- 
sand of  the  population  is  a Christian,  one  in  every  one  hundred 
of  the  educated  classes  is  a Christian.  The  personnel  of  the 
churches  in  Japan  probably  averages  higher  in  intelligence  and 
social  position  than  in  any  other  land ; though  of  course  many 
exceptions  could  be  made  to  such  a generalization.  It  was  to 
be  expected,  therefore,  that  the  relation  of  the  Native  Church  to 
the  foreign  missionary  would  first  become  acute  among  a 
people  of  this  kind. 

The  form  which  this  question  has  taken  in  Japan  makes  new 
demands  upon  us  and  we  can  hardly  overestimate  the  gravity 
of  the  situation.  Hitherto,  throughout  the  non-Christian  world, 
the  Mission  and  the  Board  have  been  virtually  supreme.  Ques- 
tions on  the  field  have  been  decided  by  the  organized  body  of 
missionaries,  subject  only  to  the  approval  of  the  Board. 

This  is  inevitable  during  the  early  stages  of  the  work  when 
there  is  no  Native  Church.  When  converts  begin  to  be  gath- 
ered, they  are  few  in  number,  widely  scattered,  with  little 
Christian  training  or  experience  and  without  consciousness  of 
unity  or  power.  They  are,  moreover,  in  most  cases  dependent 
financially  upon  the  missionary,  looking  to  him  for  the  main- 
tenance of  their  churches,  the  schools  which  educate  their  chil- 
dren, the  hospitals  which  care  for  their  sick  and  the  salaries 
of  their  preachers  and  teachers.  It  is  natural,  in  such  circum- 
stances. that  missionaries  should,  unconsciously  perhaps,  come 
to  regard  themselves  as  the  sole  arbiters  of  the  work. 

As  the  Native  Church  grows  in  number  and  power,  it  is 
equally  natural  that  this  state  of  things  should  be  disturbed.  It 
has  long  been  an  axiom  that  the  object  of  the  foreign  mission- 
ary enterprise  is  to  develop  a self-governing,  self-propagating 
and  self-supporting  Native  Church.  If  self-government  means 
anything  at  all.  it  means  a change  in  the  relations  of  the  Church 
to  the  missionary,  as  well  as  in  some  other  relations. 

Now,  in  Japan,  a self-governing,  self-propagating  and  self- 
supporting  Native  Church  has  developed.  It  is  well  known  that 
in  1877,  the  Presbyterian  and  Reformed  Missions  in  Japan 
united  in  promoting  the  organization  of  a union  Japanese 
Church,  which  is  now  known  as  Tire  Church  of  Christ  in 
Japan.  The  seven  Presbyteries  include  about  ninety  churches 
and  are  united  in  the  Synod,  the  supreme  ecclesiastical  body. 
This  Church,  with  the  exception  of  a few  individual  mission- 
aries, is  composed  exclusively  of  Japanese,  and  it  controls  its 
c 


32 


own  affairs  absolutely.  No  congregation  is  organized  as  a 
church  unless  it  is  wholly  self-supporting,  including  the  pastor’s 
salary;  and  if  a church  ceases  to  be  self-supporting,  it  loses  its 
organization  and  its  right  to  have  a voting  representative  in 
Presbytery.  ^Manifestly  the  Mission  and  the  Board  can  no 
longer  do  as  they  please  without  reference  to  the  judgment  of 
such  a Church. 

It  might  be  expected,  too,  in  a country  like  Japan,  that  the 
Church  would  claim  to  be  the  paramount  body.  The  temper  of 
the  Japanese  does  not  incline  them  to  follow  the  leadership  of 
foreigners  in  religion  any  more  than  in  politics  and  business. 
This  assertion  of  supremacy  is  precisely  what  has  taken  place, 
and  it  has  created  a situation  of  extraordinary  difficulty.  Some 
of  the  missionaries  have  yielded  with  good  grace,  feeling  that 
the  Japanese  are  right  and  that  the  situation  is  what  should 
normally  be  expected.  Others  have  deemed  it  their  duty  to 
take  a different  attitude.  Discussion  has  been  rife  for  several 
vears,  arousing  considerable  feeling  within  the  missionary 
body  and  the  Church  of  Christ  and  producing  relations  which 
have  frequently  been  strained. 

I deeply  sympathize  with  the  missionaries.  It  is  not  easy  for 
any  Anglo-Saxon,  however  assisted  by  divine  grace,  to  take  a 
second  place  in  a non-Christian  land,  especially  when  he  has 
been  for  a long  time  in  the  first  place.  A teacher  knows  that 
his  pupils  must  ultimately  supplant  him.  but  he  is  iiot  apt  to 
agree  with  them  as  to  time  and  circumstance.  But  when  we 
have  a self-governing  Native  Church,  what  shall  be  our  rela- 
tions to  it?  Three  alternatives  present  themselves; 

T.  Separation. 

2.  Gradual  Withdrawal. 

.t.  Co-operation. 

The  first  course  is  strongly  urged  bv  some  missionaries  of 
ability  and  devotion.  A missionary  of  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church,  a man  of  more  than  ordinary  force  of  character,  has 
written  a pamphlet  in  which  he  says : 

“Tt  is  the  manifest  fact  that  the  missionaries  and  the  leaders  of  the 
Church  are  getting  more  and  more  out  of  toucli  with  each  other.  This 
feeling' was  thus  expressed  to  the  writer  by  one  of  the  foremost  advo- 
cates.of  the  Synod's  action  : Tt  is  quite  clear  to  me  that  our  Mission 

must  do  something  or  suffer  paralysis.  I am  not  sure  that  the  other 
members  quite  realize  the  significance  of  the  situation.  There  is  no  war, 
but  there  is  increasing  isolation.  In  old  times  we  were  in  everything, 
we  are  very  near  the  point  where  we  shall  not  he  in  it  at  all.’ 

“The  fact  here  expressed  is  beyond  question.  The  missionaries  and  the 
leaders  of  the  Church  are  unmistakably  drawing  apart.  This  is  manife.st 
not  only  in  their  disagreement  on  specific  questions,  such  as  that  under 
discussion,  which  is  not  so  serious;  as  in  all  their  ordinary  life  and  work. 
Formerly,  the  missionaries  were  consulted  about  everything,  now  rarely 


33 


if  at  all.  They  almost  never  are  called  upon  to  address  important  meet- 
ings, nor  are  they  admitted  to  the  private  conferences  where  the  attitude 
of  the  Church  is  determined.  In  the  public  ecclesiastical  assemblies  they 
are  practically  a negligible  quantity ” 

"The  natural  consequence  is  that  the  leaders  of  the  Church,  who  shape 
all  the  acts  of  the  Synod,  have  no  acquaintance  with  the  majority  of  the 
missionaries.  The  two  parties  have  no  occasion  to  associate  together, 
for  their  spheres  are  quite  distinct.  To  give  an  illustration  of  the  case, 
the  present  writer,  who  has  been  sixteen  years  in  the  work,  has  never 
bad  an  intimate  acquaintance  with  any  of  the  men  recognized  as  influen- 
tial in  the  Synod.  There  has  been  no  desire  to  avoid  one  another,  not 
at  all : but  simply  our  paths  have  not  crossed,  except  to  the  extent  of  an 
occasional  greeting  and  conversation.  It  is  exactly  as  e.xprcssed  in  the 
above  quotation : ‘No  war  but  increasing  isolation.’  . . . .” 

Another  missionary,  of  the  American  Board,  declared  in  out- 
conference  at  Karuizawa : 

‘‘If  you  are  going  home  with  the  impress.ion  that  it's  all  lovely  and 
pleasant  in  the  various  Missions  represented  here,  and  that  there  is  no 
friction,  you're  certainly  mistaken.  Trouble  comes  as  soon  as  there  is 
a majority  of  native  pastors.  The  friction  is  chiefly  connected  with  the 
money  question  to  be  sure,  and  many  of  the  Missions  are  not  far  enough 
advanced  as  yet  to  have  reached  the  point  where  the  question  emerges 
and  the  friction  with  it.  In  our  American  Board  Mission  we  tried  plan 
after  plan  without  success,  and  finally  as  the  fruit  of  numberless  con- 
ferences and  committee-meetings,  we  hit  on  our  present  plan  of  ‘inde- 
pendent co-operation  ’ We  are  now  entirely  happy  and  entirely  inde- 
pendent. We  are  all  happy,  I say,  missionaies  and  Japanese  pastors, 
but  we  liaz'e  nothing  to  do  zvith  each  other  in  doctrine,  in  polity  or  in 
dollars.”  (Italics  are  mine.) 

This  position  has,  of  course,  the  advantage  of  leaving  the 
Mission  an  apparently  free  hand  to  prosecute  its  work  and  to 
expend  its  money  in  accordance  with  its  own  ideas.  It  pro- 
tects the  Mission  also  from  responsibility  for  any  mistaken 
methods  of  work  or  erroneous  doctrinal  teachings.  If  the 
Native  Church  makes  conditions  of  co-operation  which  the 
Dlission  deems  unwise  and  harmful,  this  policy  enable.s  the  Mis- 
sion to  go  on  with  its  work,  in  some  fashion  at  least,  until  some 
other  adjustment  can  be  made. 

The  writer  of  the  pamphlet  quoted  believes  that  this  condi- 
tion of  affairs  is  “a  normal  result  of  the  growth  of  the  Church.” 
and  that  “so  far  from  this  isolation  being  a symptom  of  decay 
or  paralysis  it  is  a sign  of  life  and  vigor.”  T confess  that  I am 
unable  to  get  that  much  solace  out  of  the  situation.  “Drawing 
apart,”  “lack  of  acquaintance”  and  “increasing  isolation”  do 
not  impress  me  as  “a  sign  of  life  and  vigor”  in  the  relation  of 
missionaries  and  native  pastors. 

I cannot  bring  myself  to  believe  that  this  is  a wise  or  practi- 
cable solution.  It  is  sure  to  result  in  friction.  It  would  mean 
that  two  independent  bodies,  the  Mission  and  the  Native 
Church,  are  to  prosecute  their  work  within  the  same  territory. 


34 


The  Church  of  Christ  has  organized  its  Presbyteries  in  such  a 
way  that  they  cover  the  country.  The  work  of  missionaries  is 
therefore  necessarily  within  the  bounds  of  these  Japanese  Pres- 
byteries. Converts  must  be  organized  into  churches,  or  join 
those  already  organized.  The  cpiestion  of  relationship  would 
then  arise.  Are  they  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  their  sister 
Japanese  Churches  and  thus  virtually  create  schism  and  be- 
come new  sects?  The  missionaries  do  not  wish  this,  and  the 
home  Churches  would  not  support  such  sectarianism  even  if 
they  did.  If  they  are  not  to  stand  aloof,  they  must  go  into  the 
Japanese  Church  and  sever  their  connection  with  the  Mission. 
Such  a transfer  could  seldom  be  made  without  trouble.  The 
whole  method  is  impracticable,  except  as  a temporary  make- 
shift. It  is  unthinkable  that  the  American  Churches  would 
give  and  pray  and  labor  for  the  development  of  a self- 
governing  Native  Church,  and  then  support  missionaries  who 
cannot  co-operate  with  it.  Moreover,  a Japanese  Church  con- 
trolled by  foreigners  and  accepting  their  leadership  and  money, 
side  hy  side  with  an  independent  Japanese  Church  which  is 
barely  making  its  own  way,  would  not  only  be  abhorrent  to  the 
modern  spirit  of  Christian  unity  but  it  would  be  a derision  to 
the  high-spirited  and  patriotic  Japanese.  Such  a Church  would 
command  no  respect,  have  no  future,  and  to  me  woidd  not  be 
worthy  of  support.  Better  far  a virile,  self-reliant  even  though 
headstrong  and  blundering  Church,  than  one  of  meek  de- 
pendence. 

Some  members  of  the  Karuizawa  conference  objected  that 
our  aim  is  not  to  plant  a self-governing,  self-supporting  and 
self-propagating  Church,  but  to  evangelize  Japan,  and  that  as 
long  as  there  are  millions  of  unevangelized  Japanese,  we  should 
maintain  mission  work  for  them  irrespective  of  the  Japanese 
Church.  Here  is  room  for  fair  difference  of  opinion.  Prob- 
ably few  would  care  to  take  either  course  unmodified  hv  the 
other.  From  my  viewpoint,  the  ohjection  involves  a confusion 
of  ideas,  “a  false  alternative,”  which  is  usually  so  seductive  and 
misleading.  I would  neither  abandon  millions  of  non-Chris- 
tian people  because  there  is  a Church  in  their  land,  nor  feel 
free  to  work  as  I pleased  among  them  without  consultation  with 
that  Church.  Our  responsibility  for  a people  continues  after 
the  Church  is  in  the  field,  but  it  continues  through  and  in  co- 
operation u'ith  the  Church  and  not  independently  of  it. 

The  second  course  is  gradual  withdrawal.  This,  indeed,  ap- 
pears to  be  a natural  corollary  from  the  aim  of  the  missionary 
enterprise.  If  that  aim  is  to  plant  the  Church,  our  work  might 
be  considered  done  when  the  Church  is  fairly  started  in  inde- 


35 


pendent  life.  This  is  apparently  in  harmony  with  the  action 
of  the  General  Assembly  of  1898  which  declared: 

“That  in  the  judgment  of  the  Assembly  the  best  results  of 
Mission  work  in  Brazil  and  other  foreign  fields  will  be  at- 
tained only  when  right  lines  of  distinction  are  observed  between 
the  functions  of  the  Native  Churches  and  the  functions  of  the 
foreign  Missions;  the  Missions  contributing  to  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Native  Churches  and  looking  forward  to  passing 
on  into  the  regions  beyond  when  their  work  is  done,  and  the 
Native  Churches  growing  up  with  an  independent  identity  from 
the  beginning,  administering  their  own  contributions  and  re- 
sources unentangled  with  any  responsibility  for  the  administra- 
tion of  the  Missions  or  of  the  funds  committed  to  the  Mission." 

The  Board  incorporated  this  action  of  the  General  Assembly 
in  its  Manual  and  added:  “It  is  the  desire  of  the  Board  to  mag- 
nify the  Presbytery,  and  to  have  such  parts  of  the  work  com- 
mitted to  its  direction  and  control  as  the  Mission,  with  the  ap- 
proval of  the  Board,  may  deem  wise  from  time  to  time,  looking 
to  the  speedy  establishment  of  a self-supporting  and  self-propa- 
gating Native  Church. 

This  is  substantially  the  position  which  I took  in  the 
chapter  on  “The  Missionary  and  the  Native  Church"  in 
“The  Foreign  Missionary”:  “The  self-government  of  the  Na- 
tive Church  is  equally  an  essential  part  of  the  missionary  aim, 
though  it  may  not  be  as  quickly  realized.  Nevertheless,  its 
ultimate  attainment  .should  shape  our  policy  and  the  Native 
Church  should  be  stimulated  to  self-support  and  self-propa- 
gation by  being  frequently  reminded  that  both  are  indispens- 
able prerequisites  to  independence,  since  it  is  as  idle  in  Asia  as 
in  America  to  imagine  that  men  can  live  on  the  money  of 
others  without  being  dependent  on  them.  As  for  the  missionary, 
he  should  frankly  say  of  the  Native  Church  what  John  the 
Baptist  said  of  Christ : ‘lie  must  increase,  but  I must  decrease.’ 
If  there  is  ever  to  be  a self-supporting,  self-governing  and  self- 
propagating  Native  Church,  we  must  anticipate  the  time  when 
it  will  be  in  entire  control.  More  and  more  definitely  should 
missionary  policy  recognize  the  part  that  this  growing  Church 
ought  to  have  in  the  work.  . . .We  should  endeavor  to  build  up 
a permanent  and  authoritative  Native  Church,  and  transfer 
work  and  responsibility  to  it  as  it  is  able  to  receive  them,  until 
the  ^Mission  shall  have  abdicated  all  its  powers  and  the  Church 
shall  have  assumed  them."* 

The  objections  to  withdrawal  from  Japan,  however,  are 
serious.  After  making  the  most  generous  allowance  for  that 
part  of  the  population  which  is  now  being  influenced  by  Chris- 


• Pp.  296.  310.  311. 


36 


tian  ideas,  there  remain  at  least  40,000,000  people  who  are  al- 
most wholly  untouched.  It  is  a great  thing  that  within  half  a 
century  after  the  establishment  of  Protestant  missions,  there 
are  more  than  75,000  communicants  in  Japan ; but  thi»  Church, 
though  influential  and  aggressive,  is  still  far  too  small  and 
weak  to  handle  unaided  the  tremendous  problems  of  evangeli- 
zation and  Christian  education  in  Japan.  It  will  doubtless  do 
so  in  time.  I have  such  faith  in  the  future  of  Christianity  in 
Japan  that  if  missionaries  were  to  be  withdrawn  entirely,  I be- 
lieve that  Christianity  would  survive  and  ultimately  spread 
throughout  the  Empire.  But  we  ought  not  to  acquiesce  in  a 
policy  which  might  defer  the  evangelization  of  Japan  for  cen- 
turies, when  we  are  able  to  assist  in  having  it  accomplished 
within  a shorter  period.  I do  not  mean  that  we  are  likely  to 
see  the  whole  nation  Christianized  within  the  immediate  future, 
but  that  it  ought  to  be  practicable  to  plant  a church  in  every 
important  towm  in  the  Empire  within  a generation — a church 
to  which  the  problems  of  further  evangelization  might  be  gradu- 
ally committed,  so  that  the  Missions  could  in  time  transfer  their 
resources  to  other  fields  where  pioneer  work  is  still  to  be  done. 

The  attitude  of  the  Church  of  Christ  on  this  subject  is  im- 
portant. It  does  not  want  us  to  withdraw.  When  the  Rev.  Y. 
Honda,  Bishop  of  the  Alethodist  Church  of  Japan,  was  asked 
by  the  Canadian  IMethodist  Mission  for  his  opinion  as  to  the 
advisability  of  an  extensive  evangelistic  w’ork  by  the  Mission  or 
on  the  other  hand  the  gradual  withdrawal  of  the  mission  force, 
he  replied:  “Not  to  advance  3'Our  present  work  there  is  out  of 
the  question.  I agree  with  you  perfectly,  and  from  the  depth 
of  my  heart  I request  you  to  go  on.  . . . The  united  new 
Church  is  struggling  for  self-support  and  has  not  power  to 
advance ; so  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  have  the  missionaries 
work  for  the  unevangelized  places.  ...  If  the  Board  of  Mis- 
sions has  an  idea  to  withdraw  from  Japan,  it  is  a great  mistake. 
I hope  your  ^Mission  Council  will  do'  all  in  their  power  to  ex- 
plain the  real  situation  to  the  Board  and  Churches  at  home 
and  the  enormous  need  of  missionary  work.  ...” 

The  leaders  of  the  Church  of  Christ  frankly  told  me  that 
they  needed  the  help  of  their  brethren  in  Europe  and  America. 
They  stated  that  while  large  reinforcements  were  not  required, 
the  present  foreign  force  is  too  small,  and  that  not  only  more 
men,  but  more  money  are  urgently  needed,  particularly  for  the 
educational  and  literary  work  which  the  Japanese  Christians 
are  not  yet  able  to  do  on  an  adequate  scale.  The  Japanese 
leaders  simply  insisted  that  appointments  should  be  limitetl  to 
men  of  first-class  ability  who  can  co-operate  with  the  Japanese 


37 


Church.  There  is  therefore  no  occasion  for  us  to  adopt  the 
second  alternative  of  withdrawal. 

The  third  alternative,  co-operation,  remains  to  be  considered. 
This  appears  at  first  glance  to  be  an  easy  solution  of  the  prob- 
lem of  our  relationship  with  a self-governing  Church.  All  our 
missionaries  insist  that  they  are  in  favor  of  co-operating  with 
the  Japanese  Christians,  and  that  as  a matter  of  fact  they  have 
been  co-operating  with  them  and  are  doing  so  now.  But  what 
is  meant  by  co-operation  ? “Aye,  there’s  the  rub.”  Some  mis- 
sionaries explain  it  one  way,  some  another.  Meantime,  the 
Synod  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  in  October,  1906,  declared 
what  it  meant  by  the  following  action  : 

“A  co-operating  Mission  is  one  which  recognizes  the  right  of 
the  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan  to  the  general  control  of  all 
evangelistic  work  done  by  the  Mission  as  a Mission  within  the 
Church  or  in  connection  with  it ; and  which  carries  on  such 
work  under  an  arrangement  based  upon  the  foregoing  prin- 
ciple, and  concurred  in  by  the  Synod,  acting  through  the  Board 
of  Missions.” 

This  was  adopted  by  the  rather  close  vote  of  25  to  22 ; but  I 
was  infonned  that  “the  division  was  not  over  the  question  of 
co-operation  nor  over  the  definition  as  a whole ; it  was  over 
the  one  phrase  making  the  Deiido  Kyoku  (Board  of  Missions) 
the  Synod’s  Committee  to  arrange  for  formal  co-operation 
with  the  different  Missions.”  On  the  merits  of  the  question 
now  under  consideration,  the  real  majority  was  much  larger. 
The  Synod  of  October,  1907,  emphasized  its  position  by  voting 
that  “all  local  churches  receiving  aid  from  Missions  which  by 
September  30,  1908,  should  fail  to  co-operate  by  definition 
should  be  totally  disconnected  from  the  Church  of  Christ  in 
Japan.” 

This  position  of  the  Synod  is  known  as  “Co-operation  by 
Definition,”  and  it  is  the  rock  on  which  the  missionary  body 
has  split  and  on  which  relations  between  some  Missions  and  the 
Church  of  Christ  have  split. 

Our  West  Japan  Mission,  after  full  discussion,  accepted  the 
Definition  at  its  annual  meeting  the  same  year,  1906,  by  unani- 
mous vote,  though  in  the  early  part  of  the  following  year  the 
attitude  of  a few  members  of  the  Mission  changed.  I heard 
conflicting  opinions  as  to  the  present  feeling.  Some  outside  of 
the  Mission  intimated  that  the  plan  was  not  working  satisfac- 
torily and  that  if  the  vote  were  to  be  taken  today  and  each  mis- 
sionary would  vote  his  real  opinion,  the  majority  would  be 
considerably  reduced.  West  Japan  missionaries,  however,  de- 
nied this,  and  declared  that  the  plan  was  working  even  better 
than  had  been  anticipated ; that  the  unfortunate  consequences 


38 


which  some  had  feared  had  not  been  realized ; that  relations 
with  the  Japanese  Churches  had  never  been  so  amicable;  and 
that  the  Mission  as  a whole  was  in  the  most  prosperous  condi- 
tion in  its  history.  Of  the  49  members  of  the  Mission,  I could 
learn  of  only  eight  who  were  opposed  to  “Co-operation  by  De- 
finition,” and  all  of  them  appeared  disposed  to  acquiesce  in  the 
decision  of  the  majority  and  willing  to  see  the  plan  given  a 
fair  trial. 

The  East  Japan  Mission  by  a narrow  majority  opposed  the 
Definition  of  the  Synod.  There  are  27  members  of  the  Alis- 
sion,  and  there  has  been  some  difference  of  opinion  as  to  where 
the  real  majority  stands.  Illness,  furloughs  and  pressure  of 
other  duties  make  a maximum  attendance  impossible  at  any 
given  meeting.  A few,  too,  have  little  zeal  in  the  matter  one 
way  or  the  other,  or  have  not  always  been  clear  as  to  the  best 
course  to  be  pursued. 

The  position  of  this  Mission  was  powerfully  re-enforced  by 
the  two  ^fissions  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America  (Dutch 
Reformed ) and  by  the  ^Mission  of  the  Southern  Presbyterian 
Church.  These  Alissions,  with  ours  and  the  Mission  of  the 
German  Reformed  Church,  are  united  in  “The  Council  of  IVIis- 
sions  Co-operating  with  The  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan,”  the 
word  "co-operating”  having  been  adopted  before  the  now  fa- 
mous “Definition”  of  the  Synod.  The  German  Reformed  Mis- 
sion adopted  the  “Definition”  Februar}'  27,  1909.  The  North 
Japan  Mission  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  at  first  acqui- 
esced in  the  Definition,  but  afterwards  reconsidered  its  action 
on  account  of  changes  in  the  voting  personnel  caused  by  fur- 
loughs. Four  of  the  six  ^Missions  in  the  Council  therefore 
stood  together  in  opposition  to  the  Definition,  and  the  moral 
support  which  this  majority  of  the  Council  brought  to  our 
East  Japan  ^Mission  was  formidable. 

As  everybody  favored  co-operation,  and  as  objection  turned 
on  the  “Definition”  by  the  Synod  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  the 
question  naturally  arose  whether  the  Synod  would  be  willing 
to  modify  the  Definition.  Persistent  eflforts  were  made  to 
induce  the  Church  to  make  such  a modification  and  several 
compromises  were  suggested.  One  and  all  were  rejected  by 
the  Synod.  Finally,  the  proposals  of  the  opposition  centralized 
on  an  alternative  proposal  which  was  called  "Co-operation  by 
Affiliation,”  as  distinguished  from  the  Synod’s  plan  of  “Co- 
operation by  Definition.”  The  East  Japan  Mission  urged  the 
Board  to  give  its  approval  to  a plan  of  this  kind,  but  the  Board 
declined,  unless  asked  to  do  so  by  the  Church,  It  desired 
its  Missions  in  Japan  to  work  under  that  form  of  co-operation 
which  was  most  acceptable  to  the  Church,  and  while  it  recog- 


39 


nized  the  right  of  Synod  to  modify  its  definition  if  it  chose  to 
do  so,  the  Board  was  unwilling  to  lend  its  authority  and  pres- 
tige to  the  effort  to  bring  pressure  to  bear  in  that  direction. 

W hen  I arrived  in  Japan,  I found  strong  feeling  on  the  sub- 
ject. Some  missionaries  said  that  many  in  the  Church  of 
Christ  had  no  zeal  for  the  “Definition”  and  would  be  quite  con- 
tent with  “Affiliation that  a few  resolute  leaders  iiad  forced 
the  Synod  to  take  a position  which  many  of  the  Japanese  re- 
garded as  extreme.  But  Mr.  Speer,  who  conducted  all  corres- 
pondence with  Japan,  wrote,  prior  to  my  visit,  that  “every  com- 
munication which  has  reached  the  Board,  directly  or  indirectly, 
from  the  Church  of  Christ  and  from  its  leaders  has  indicated 
an  unwavering  adherence  of  the  Church  to  the  principle  of 
Co-operation  as  set  forth  by  the  Synod.” 

I made  many  inquiries  as  to  the  real  attitude  of  the  Japanese. 
I learned  that  there  is  a minority  which  would  be  willing  to 
compromise.  The  judicatories  of  our  home  churches  are  sel- 
dom unanimous,  and  it  could  not  reasonably  be  expected  that 
a judicatory  of  a church  in  Asia  would  be  unanimous,  particu- 
larly in  a matter  which  involves  so  much.  The  minority,  how- 
ever, is  small.  Inquiry  of  President  Ibuka  elicited  the  follow- 
ing reply : “As  to  somebody  telling  Dr.  Brown  that  a number 
of  the  leaders  had  changed  their  minds  and  now  prefer  affilia- 
tion, it  is  simply  another  case  of  ‘the  wish  being  father  to  the 
thought.’  The  simple  fact  that  the  affiliation  plan  presented  at 
the  last  meeting  of  the  Synod  utterly  fell  through  is  quite  sig- 
nificant.” 

The  two  conferences  which  I held  with  the  Japanese  in 
Tokyo  and  Osaka  made  their  position  clear.  The  former  con- 
ference included  Japanese  who  came  from  different  places  in 
the  eastern  half  of  the  country,  and  the  latter  was  equally  rep- 
resentative of  the  western  part.  Efforts  had  been  made  by  the 
missionaries  to  make  the  attendance  as  representative  as  pos- 
sible of  the  real  mind  of  the  Church.  Aly  frank  questions  as 
to  the  attitude  of  the  Japanese  on  Co-operation  by  Definition 
were  met  by  the  two  conferences  with  equal  frankness.  Each 
acted  independently  of  the  other  but  in  full  accord  with  it. 
The  sentiment  in  both  was  overwhelmingly  in  favor  of  Co- 
operation by  Definition,  and  indicated  no  disposition  whatever 
to  yield.  At  the  close  of  the  discussion  in  both  conferences,  I 
asked  for  a rising  vote,  in  order  that  I might  be  sure  that  I had 
the  opinions  not  only  of  those  who  had  spoken  but  of  those 
who  had  not  spoken.  The  vote  in  the  Tokyo  Conference  was 
twenty-one  to  one  in  favor  of  Co-operation  by  Definition, 
and  the  vote  in  the  Osaka  Conference  was  eighteen  to  two  in 
the  same  direction. 


40 


I had  not  expected  to  be  drawn  so  deeply  into  the  contro- 
versy when  I went  to  Japan,  as  I had  supposed  that  the  ac- 
ceptance of  the  Definition  by  the  large  West  Japan  ^Mission 
and  by  the  Board  and  the  full  and  admirable  letters  of  its  Sec- 
retary for  Japan,  Mr.  Speer,  had  settled  the  policy  as  far  as 
we  are  concerned,  and  that  I would  be  free  to  consider  other 
problems  of  concern  to  our  work.  The  opponents  of  the  Defi- 
nition, however,  felt  that  the  coming  of  a Secretary  of  the 
Board  afforded  a fair  opportunity  for  further  discussion  in  the 
hope  that  a personal  conference  would  show  that  ‘‘Co-operatjon 
by  Definition”  is  a mistaken  policy  and  fraught  with  grave  dan- 
gers. At  any  rate,  my  conference  with  the  East  and  West 
Japan  Missions  at  Karuizawa  had  barely  opened  before  this 
question  was  brought  up.  Every  objection  to  the  Definition 
and  to  the  position  of  the  Board  was  renewed  with  an  intensity 
which  bore  witness  to  the  strength  of  conviction  which  existed. 
One  of  them  characterized  it  as  “divisive,  ambiguous,  unjust, 
unconstitutional,  un-Presbyterian,  and  thoroughly  vicious.” 
This  appears  to  be  sufficiently  descriptive.  Those  who  favored 
acceptance  of  the  Definition  appeared  to  feel  that,  trying  as  it 
was  to  have  the  ground  gone  over  again,  it  might  be  as  well  to 
have  the  dispute  brought  to  a final  issue,  as  the  prolonged  agi- 
tation of  the  subject  had  become  intolerable.  No  one  can  com- 
plain that  the  opposition  did  not  have  opportunity  to  state  its 
case,  for  the  other  side  gave  it  practically  the  entire  time. 

My  statements  in  this  conference  have  been  reported  with 
picturesqueness  and  breezy  vigor  by  the  most  intense  op- 
ponent of  the  policy  of  the  Board  which  I was  explaining. 
That  opponent  was,  of  course,  incapable  of  conscious  misrepre- 
sentation. But  there  are  few  persons  in  this  strenuous  world 
who  are  able  to  state  with  entire  justice  other  people’s  opinions 
which  they  regard  as  unsound  and  unreasonable,  especially 
when  the  opinions  were  given  in  the  course  of  an  animated  dis- 
cussion of  several  hours  with  no  stenographer  to  take  down 
exact  wording.  Even  when  particular  phrases  are  remembered 
or  noted  at  the  time,  they  are  apt  to  be  recalled  without  modi- 
fying clauses  or  context.  When  that  context  is  restored  by  the 
memory  of  one  who  is  trying  to  show  the  weakness  of  the 
speaker’s  position,  the  human  mind  is  seldom  capable  of  re- 
constructing the  argument  in  a form  which  the  speaker  would 
recognize.  However,  I discreetly  refrain  from  pressing  this 
objection  too  far,  lest  those  with  whom  I differ  retort  that  I 
have  given  an  account  of  their  position  which  fails  to  do  justice 
to  them.  Those  who  read  this  report  should  bear  in  mind  that 
the  question  of  missionary  relationship  to  the  Native  Church 
is  the  most  formidable  and  complicated  question  with  which  we 


41 


now  have  to  deal ; that  there  are  differing  opinions  as  to  the 
best  course  to  be  pursued ; and  that  both  sides  should  be  cred- 
ited with  sincerity  and  a supreme  desire  to  see  the  cause  of 
Christ  advanced. 

It  was  not  then  and  it  is  not  now  easy  for  me  to  differ  with 
the  missionaries  who  lament  the  position  of  the  Church  and 
the  Board.  They  are  my  personal  friends,  and  five  of  them 
were  our  hosts  at  different  times.  Some  of  them  are  among 
the  oldest  and  most  devoted  missionaries  in  Japan,  men  and 
women  whose  years  of  self-sacrificing  toil  bear  witness  to  the 
sincerity  of  their  desire  for  the  advancement  of  fhe  cause  of 
Christ.  They  have  suffered  on  account  of  their  position,  for 
their  opposition  to  the  Synod  has  exposed  them  to  a suspicion 
and  forced  them  into  an  isolation  which  have  been  exceedingly 
trying.  Nevertheless,  I believe  that  the  position  of  the  West 
Japan  Mission  and  the  Board  is  sound.  I have  already  indi- 
cated the  three  alternatives  which  confront  us  where  a self- 
conscious  and  self-governing  Native  Church  has  developed,  and 
I have  also  indicated  my  reasons  for  holding  that  the  first  two 
(separation  and  withdrawal)  would  be  injurious  in  Japan.  We 
cannot  live  in  Japan  apart  from  the  Church;  we  cannot  fight 
the  Church  ; and  we  should  not  leave  the  country  to  itself.  We 
must  co-operate  with  the  Church  which,  by  the  blessing  of  God, 
we  have  aided  to  create. 

And  in  Japan  co-operation  means  “Co-operation  by  Defini- 
tion.” It  is  idle  to  urge  that  any  other  kind  is  practicable.  The 
contention  that  there  is  a distinction  between  “Co-operation” 
and  “Co-operation  by  Definition”  is,  in  Japan,  purely  academic. 
The  Japanese  have  clearl)^  explained  what  they  mean  by  Co- 
operation, and  no  other  definition  of  it  is  satisfactory  to  them. 
Co-operation  is  not  the  act  of  one  party;  it  is  from  the  nature 
of  the  case  between  two  or  more  parties.  It  is  useless,  there- 
fore, for  one  party  to  insist  that  it  is  co-operating  when  the 
other  says  that  it  is  not.  Co-operation  between  the  Missions 
and  the  Church  of  Christ  must  mean  mutual  agreement ; other- 
wise there  is  no  co-operation  worthy  of  the  name.  Granting 
that  the  Synod’s  definition  of  Co-operation  is  not  ideal  from 
our  viewpoint;  must  we  not  recognize  the  right  of  a self-gov- 
erning Church  to  define  the  terms  on  which  it  will  co-operate 
with  an  outside  body? 

The  action  of  the  General  Assembly  of  1898  and  of  the 
Board,  already  cpioted,  was  regarded  by  some  as  prohibiting 
the  administration  of  evangelistic  work  by  a joint  committee 
of  missionaries  and  Japanese.  The  fact  that  this  deliverance 
could  be  interpreted  in  such  a way  shows  anew  that  no  rule 
can  fit  every  conceivable  exigency  in  a vast  work,  conducted  in 


42 


widely  separated  lands,  and  amid  conditions  which  are  con- 
stantly changing.  A sound  general  principle  may  require  mod- 
ification in  exceptional  situations.  The  rules  of  the  Board  are 
not  like  the  laws  of  the  Medes  and  Persians  which  cannot  be 
altered.  Rules  exist  for  the  work,  not  the  work  for  the  rules. 
The  Board  shows  its  wisdom,  not  only  in  carefully  framing 
the  best  regulations  that  it  can  at  a given  time,  but  in  inserting 
the  following  sentence  in  the  “acceptance  card’’  which  is  sent 
to  every  missionary  at  the  time  of  his  appointment : “This 
^lanual  is  neither  a contract  nor  a final  expression  of  the 
Board’s  principles  and  rules,  and  it  is  subject  to  such  amend- 
ment as  the  Board  may  from  time  to  time,  deem  to  be  for  the 
best  interests  of  the  cause.” 

As  for  this  particular  rule,  Mr.  Robert  E.  Speer,  who  is 
Secretary  for  the  Brazil  Missions,  who  was  present  when  the 
Committee  of  the  General  .Assembly  agreed  upon  the  resolu- 
tion, and  who  is  therefore  most  familiar  with  the  conditions 
which  it  was  designed  to  meet,  writes ; 

“Tlie  principle  embodied  in  this  paragraph  is  necessary  to 
bring  aboiu  the  existence  of  genuine  Native  Churches  ; but  once 
those  Churches  do  exist  with  their  own  clearly  defined  func- 
tions, I do  not  see  anything  in  this  paragraph  to  forbid  a co- 
operative arrangement  between  Missions  and  Churches  which 
does  not  confuse  separate  functions,  but  which  by  regular 
agreement  and  stipulation  provides  for  co-operation  in  any 
particular  form  of  work  or  expenditure  they  desire.  This  par- 
agraph takes  the  place  of  the  paragraphs  in  the  old  Manual 
with  reference  to  the  ecclesiastical  relation  of  missionaries  to 
the  Native  Churches.  This  idea  of  Dr.  Lowrie  in  the  early 
days  was  to  have  no  Alissions  at  all,  but  to  leave  everything  in 
the  hands  of  the  Presbytery  and  to  have  the  missionaries  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbytery.  Of  course  this  excluded  woman's  work 
altogether,  which  in  those  days  had  scarcely  come  into  exist- 
ence, and  it  lost  sight  entirely  of  the  necessity  of  educating 
the  Native  Church  to  ecclesiastical  independence.  It  was  out 
of  the  long  discus.sion  of  this  (juestion,  in  which  the  central 
issue  was  as  to  whether  the  truly  autonomous  character  of  the 
Native  Church  was  to  be  recognized  and  how  it  was  to  be 
brought  about,  that  the  matter  took  shape  in  the  way  it  did. 
The  financial  question  came  in  a subordinate  way,  partly  in  that 
connection,  partly  out  of  a local  situation  in  Brazil  which  fo- 
cused considerable  opposition  on  mission  education  and  es- 
pecially on  the  use  of  higher  education  or  the  educating  of 
non-Christians  as  a missionary  agency.  W’e  ought  not  to  allow 
it  to  be  assumed  that  plans  of  co-operation,  such  as  have  been 
in  view  in  Japan,  were  inconsistent  with  the  principle  embodied 


43 


in  paragraph  33.  That  principle  is  intended  to  secure  the  ex- 
istence of  true  Missions  and  true  Native  Churches.  It  is  not 
intended  to  prevent  any  relations  which  the  conditions  at  any 
time  may  indicate  to  be  wise  between  these  two  independent 
organizations.” 

The  paragraph  in  question  grew  out  of  discussions  in  which 
co-operation,  as  now  interpreted  in  Japan,  was  not  only  not  an 
issue  but  was  an  accepted  fact,  and  it  is  a complete  reversal  of 
the  intent  of  the  Assembly  and  the  Board  to  turn  this  rule 
against  a proposal  for  co-operative  relations  between  a Mission 
and  a Church.  Doubtless  if  such  use  of  it  could  have  been 
foreseen,  the  rule  would  have  been  worded  in  such  a way  as 
to  render  misunderstanding:  of  its  spirit  impossible. 

If  this  rule  is  to  be  applied  with  bald  literalism  to  the  present 
situation  in  Japan,  it  will  prove  too  much  for  those  who  use  it 
as  an  argument  against  co-operation ; for  it  implies  that  when 
a Native  Church  has  been  developed  to  a point  w'here  it  can 
manage  its  owm  affairs,  the  ^Mission  is  to  “look  forw^ard  to 
passing  on  into  the  regions  beyond  when  their  work  is  done.” 
“Reeions  beyond”  can  hardly  be  interpreted  as  parts  of  Japan 
w'hich  are  witfiin  the  bounds  of  the  Presbyteries  of  the  Church 
of  Christ,  nor  can  the  distinction  betw'een  geographical  and 
ecclesiastical  bounds  be  deemed  of  practical  value.  Whether 
the  Mission’s  “work  is  done”  is  to  be  determined  in  conference 
with  all  parties  concerned,  including  the  Church. 

The  rule  therefore,  rightly  interpreted,  affords  no  ground 
for  the  contention  that  a ^Mission  should  remain  and  prosecute 
its  w'ork  independently  of  a self-governing  Church. 

An  objection  strongly  urged  is  that  “Co-operation  by  Defini- 
tion” would  give  the  Japanese  control  of  foreign  funds.  I had 
the  interesting  experience  of  having  my  owm  book  quoted 
against  me  and  the  Board.  On  pages  307-309  of  “The  For- 
eign Missionary.”  I took  the  position  that  foreign  contributions 
should  be  controlled  by  foreigners,  and  that  it  is  inexpedient 
that  the  Christians  of  Asia  and  Africa  should  handle  money 
which  they  have  not  given,  for  wdiich  they  cannot  be  held  re- 
sponsible. and  for  wdiose  use  their  training  has  not  fitted  them. 
I still  hold  that  this  is  a sound  principle. 

In  Japan,  however,  this  principle  has  come  into  collision 
with  another  principle,  namely,  that  wdien  a self-governing 
Church  has  developed,  w’e  must  work  in  harmony  with  it.  This 
self-governing  Church  in  Japan  has  made  a specific  defini- 
tion of  the  terms  on  which  it  wdll  accept  our  further  co-opera- 
tion. Our  two  principles,  therefore,  come  into  conflict,  and  we 
must  choose  between  them,  for  a time  at  least.  I unhesitat- 
ingly affirm  that  the  less  important  principle  is  the  one  wffiich 


44 


relates  to  money.  This  is  not  inconsistent  with  the  position 
stated  in  the  preceding  paragraph,  because  our  main  object  is 
to  use  money  in  the  interest  of  the  work.  Our  Board  has  for 
years  been  making  grants  in  aid  to  the  Presbyteries  in  Brazil, 
Persia  and  India,  and  while  here  and  there  some  detail  of 
method  has  called  for  readjustment,  the  plan  on  the  whole  has 
worked  to  the  advantage  of  the  cause.  It  is  better  to  give  the 
Church  of  Christ  in  Japan  a voice  in  the  expenditure  of  monev 
than  it  is  to  withdraw  or  to  work  independently.  Our  e.xperi- 
ence  in  other  fields  is  not  analogous,  for  the  reason  that  in 
them  a self-governing  Church  has  made  no  such  demand. 

I brought  up  this  question  in  the  union  conference  at  Karui- 
zawa  and  the  following  statement  regarding  the  relations  of 
the  various  missions  with  the  Japanese  Churches  was  very 
kindly  drawn  up  by  the  Rev.  R.  E.  IMcAlpine  of  the  Southern 
Presbyterian  Mission  and  submitted  to  representatives  of  sev- 
eral other  Missions  who  were  present.  It  is  a statement  of 
such  interest  that  I append  it  in  full : 

“Beside5  our  Nihon  Kirisuto  Kyokwai,  there  are  only  three  other 
Churches  (as  you  yesterday  stated f which  have  developed  far  enough  to 
have  these  questions  arise.  These  are  the  Kumiai,  the  Methodist  and 
the  Episcopal  Churches,  i.  The  Congregational  Mission  ran  the  gaunt- 
let of  all  sorts  of  relations  with  their  Kumiai  Church,  and  finding  each 
in  turn  unsatisfactory,  they  now  have  only  informal,  but  (or  therefore) 
perfectly  friendly  relations.  As  expressed  yesterday  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
.\llchin,  “no  relation  in  either  polity,  doctrine  or  dollars !” 

“2.  The  three  IMethodist  Missions  now  have  the  policy  of  making 
a fixed  grant  annually  to  the  Conference,  which  sum  is  then  adminis- 
tered by  a joint  committee:  but  altogether  apart  from  that,  they  receive 
a sum  of  mission  funds  (which  is  to  become  increasingly  large,  while 
the  grant  is  to  decrease"),  for  the  extension  and  development  of  the 
weaker  fields,  and  this  sum  is  administered  by  the  Missions,  each  alone, 
entirely  apart  from  the  Japanese  Church.  very  significant  fact  just 
here  is  that  two  of  these  Missions  made  full  trial  of  putting  all  their 
eggs  into  the  one  basket  of  the  Conference,  but  finding  it  quite  hamper- 
ing to  individual  missionary  effort,  and  in  general  unsatisfactory,  they 
have  now  with  wisdom  born  of  experience,  reverted  to  the  plan  of  Mis- 
sion control  of  a part  of  the  funds. 

“,3.  In  the  Seikolcvvai  (Episcopal)  all  the  clergy,  both  Japanese  and 
foreign  have  their  membership  in  one  body  here,  which  body  handles 
all  ecclesiastical  matters  concerning  the  full  organized  churches : and  to 
this  body  the  Missions  contribute  a definite  sum  for  pastors’  salaries 
only.  In  all  other  financial  or  other  matters  concerning  the  unorganized 
groups  of  believers — employment  of  workers  and  fixing  their  salaries, 
chape'  rent,  any  and  all  such  matters  are  absolutely  in  the  hands  of 
the  Missions  alone.” 

“The  above  statement  so  far  as  it  relates  to  the  Seikokwai  (Episcopal) 
Church  is  quite  correct.  There  have  been  proposals  that  the  salaries  of 
all  Japanese  workers — and  not  on'y  pastors — should  be  paid  throughout 
the  Diocesan  Pastoral  Society — but  no  action  in  this  direction  has  yet 
been  taken.” 


W.  P.  Burcombe,  C.  M.  S.,  Tokyo. 


45 


“The  above  represents  arcnrately  the  position  of  the  Canadian  Metho- 
dist Church  and  Mission.  Onr  Board,  in  fact,  the  three  Methodist 
Boards,  give  an  annual  grant  based  upon  the  salaries  and  rents  paid 
at  the  time  of  the  Union  two  years  ago:  all  other  items  must  be  pro- 
vided by  the  Japanese  Methodist  Church.  This  native  church  quite  cor- 
dially assents  to  e.xtensive  aggressive  evangelistic  work  being  carried 
on  by  the  Mission  independently.” 

D.  Normax,  Canadian  l\rethodist  Mis.sion. 

“The  above  statement  concerning  the  relations  between  the  Kumiai 
Body  (comprising  about  go  churches,  nearly  all  of  which  are  self-sup- 
porting) and  the  American  Board  IMission  is  correct.  But  it  should  be 
stated  that  the  present  satisfactory  working  basis  was  reached  after  a 
long  conference  between  representative  committees  of  both  parties. 
Although  the  two  bodies  are  perfectly  independent  of  each  other,  it  is 
the  policy  and  custom  of  the  missionaries  of  this  Mission  not  to  begin 
nor  to  continue  any  preaching  places  without  consultation  with  the 
pastors  and  churches  of  the  locality.  (Please  read  in  this  connection 
pp.  223-227  of  the  Christian  Movement  in  Japan  for  1909.  This  sum- 
mary by  mistake  is  accredited  to  me  instead  of  the  Rev.  G.  M.  Row- 
land, D.D.)” 

Gko.  Allchin',  x-\.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  Osaka. 

“What  Brother  Xorman  says  above  is  quite  correct,  though  as  far  as 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Mission  is  concerned  it  can  hardly  be  said  that 
we  have  reverted  to  the  plan  of  the  Mission  control.  At  an  early  period 
in  our  history  as  an  annual  Conference  the  joint  committee  was  a large 
one  and  not  limited  to  the  Presiding  Elders.  This  was  not  satisfactory, 
and  the  presiding  Bishop  ruled  that  according  to  our  Discipline  the  Pre- 
siding Elders  alone  constituted  the  Committee  on  Missions  (missionary 
grants  to  aided  conferences)  whose  duty  it  was  to  apportion  the  grant 
to  the  several  churches  requiring  aid,  and  from  that  time  till  the  union 
of  the  three  Methodist  Bodies  the  plan  worked  smoothly,  so  that  in  our 
case  the  special  fund  for  individual  missionary  effort  is  not  a revision 
but  a wholly  new  method  and  for  which  we  hope  increased  grants  will 
be  made  as  the  case  requires.” 

J.  C.  Davidson,  Methodist  Episcopal  Mission,  Kumamoto. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  Presbyterians  in  Japan  are 
dealing  with  a specific  demand  of  the  particular  Native  Church 
with  which  they  are  related.  The  methods  of  Missions  of  other 
communions  therefore  are  helpful  to  us  only  in  so  far  as  these 
Missions  have  been  confronted  by  a similar  demand.  In  this 
connection,  it  is  interesting  to  note  in  The  Japan  Times  for 
July  15,  1909,  that  forty  delegates  of  the  Russian  Greek  Church, 
assembled  in  Tokyo,  July  13,  “passed  a resolution  to  the  effect 
that  the  maintenance  of  the  Japan  Orthodox  Church  should  be 
placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Japanese  believers  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. They  have  also  adopted  other  resolutions,  but  the  gist 
of  the  matter  is  that  since  the  whole  expenses  of  the  Church 
are  met  with  money  obtained  from  the  Holy  Synod,  or  with 
money  supplied  by  the  Russian  Government,  the  pastors  of  the 
Church  are  in  the  position  of  being  salaried  officials  of  the 
Russian  Government,  a position  unbecoming  for  the  Japanese 
pastors.  It  is  hence  desired  by  those  concerned  that  the  Japan- 


46 


ese  believers  be  given  tbe  right  to  have  a voice  in  the  financial 
afifairs  of  the  Church  in  Japan,  and  the  latter  be  created  an  in- 
dependent institution.  It  is  feared  that  some  trouble  may  arise 
m consequence  of  this  movement.” 

I have  read  with  care  many  and  extensive  arguments  against 
Co-operation  by  Definition.  Indeed  voluminous  documents 
were  sent  tc  me  before  I reached  Japan  and  I spent  no  small 
part  of  my  trans-Pacific  voyage  in  reading  them.  Some  are 
marked  bv  ability  of  a high  order  and  are  notable  for  their 
skillful  marshalling  of  facts  and  opinions.  Others  are  a maze 
of  technicalities.  Taking  them  as  a whole,  they  impress  me  as 
open  to  the  following  objections: 

1.  They  emphasize  secondarv  considerations  rather  than 
primary  ones.  One  misses  a large  view  of  the  question  as  it 
concerns  the  cause  of  Christ  irrespective  of  local  difficulties. 

2.  The  point  of  view  appears  to  be  that  of  the  missionary 
and  the  Mission  rather  than  of  the  Native  Church.  This  is  of 
course,  natural,  and  to  some  extent  inevitable  and  proper;  but 
I do  not  believe  that  this  question  can  be  wiselv  settled  without 
a better  balancing  of  the  interests'of  both  sides. 

3.  The  fundamental  assumption  appears  to  be  that  the  prin- 
ciples and  methods  of  the  particular  denomination  to  which 
the  writers  belong  and  the  rights  and  dignities  of  the  Missions 
as  representing  the  Churches  of  America  are  to  be  guarded  at 
all  costs,  and  that  anything  that  would  tend  to  impair  them 
would  be  ‘‘an  injury  to  the  cause  of  Christ.” 

4.  An  assumption,  which  apparently  underlies  many  argu- 
ments, is  that  the  Japanese  Church,  if  it  is  given  the  oppor- 
tunity. will  exercise  its  power  in  ways  that  are  injurious  to 
missionary  work.  This  assumption  is  so  manifest  in  some  of 
the  pamphlets  that  the  reader  gets  the  impression  that  if  each 
and  every  objection  presented  were  successfully  answered,  the 
basic  state  of  mind  would  remain  and  evolve  new  ones. 

5.  The  frequent  statement  that  the  writers  believe  this 
question  to  be  ‘‘a  matter  of  conscience”  confuses  definition. 
This  is  not  a question  between  what  is  inherently  right  and  in- 
herently wrong,  nor  is  it  an  issue  between  good  men  and  bad 
men.  It  is  a difference  of  opinion  between  Christian  brethren 
as  to  what  is  the  best  course  to  pursue.  For  one  j'artv  to  in- 
sist that  the  question  is  one  of  conscience  and  that  it  therefore 
cannot  modify  its  position  is  to  put  an  end  to  all  di.scussion  ; for 
of  course,  the  other  side  would  be  equally  justified  in  saying 
that  it  is  conscientious  too.  and  thus  there  would  be  a deadlock. 
The  fact  is  that  the  question  is  not  one  of  conscience  at  all, 
but  one  of  judgment,  and  it  should  be  considered  from  that 
viewpoint. 


47 


6.  If  some  of  the  objections  were  sound,  they  would  not 
be  decisive.  There  are  objections  to  most  things  in  this  world, 
especially  to  such  great  movements  as  this.  The  question  is 
not  whether  objections  can  be  found,  but  whether  they  are 
\dtal — weighty  enough  to  overcome  opposing  considerations. 

I heard  much  to  the  ef¥ect  that  acquiescence  in  the  Japanese 
demand  would  greatly  impair  the  rights  and  liberties  of  mis- 
sionaries. The  experience  of  West  Japan  missionaries  who 
have  cordially  accepted  the  “Definition”  does  not  sustain  this 
argument.  They  have  lived  under  the  “Definition”  as  freely 
as  before.  They  do  not  fear  their  Japanese  brethren  and  are 
working  happily  with  them.  I do  not  believe  that  a missionarv 
anywhere  in  tbe  world  makes  a mistake  when  he  trusts  his 
native  brethren  and  co-operates  ungrudgingly  with  them.  If 
the\"  wish  to  do  some  things  which  he  does  not  approve,  it 
rnay  not  follow  that  they  are  wrong.  At  any  rate,  they  are  in 
their  own  country  and  are  dealing  with  affairs  which  are  more 
vital  to  them  than  to  any  one  else.  The  missionary  is,  at  best, 
an  alien.  He  is  not  in  Japan  for  himself  or  for  the  guarding  of 
his  own  rights  and  liberties.  He  is  in  Japan  for  the  Japanese. 
The  Native  Church  does  not  exist  in  the  interest  of  the  Mis- 
sion and  the  Board,  but  the  Mission  and  the  Board  exist  in  the 
interest  of  the  Church.  If  the  two  clash,  every  effort  should 
be  made  to  bring  about  harmony;  but  if  compromise  is  impos- 
sible, the  Mission  and  the  Board  should  yield.  If  we  are  going 
to  work  for  the  Native  Church,  we  must  work  with  the  Na- 
tive Church. 

It  is  said  that  it  is  wrong  to  give  the  Japanese  control  of 
our  work.  But  is  the  work  ours  in  the  sense  that  such  an  ob- 
jection implies?  It  is  true  that  it  is  done  by  our  missionaries 
and  with  our  money;  but  it  is  in  Japan,  for  the  Japanese,  and 
within  the  bounds  of  Japanese  Presbyteries.  The  result  ac- 
crues to  the  Japanese  Church,  and  that  Church  is  responsible 
for  the  future  care  of  it.  Is  not  the  work  quite  as  much  Jap- 
anese as  American?  It  seems  reasonable  that  Japanese  Pres- 
byteries should  say  to  us:  “If  you  are  going  to  conduct  Chris- 
tian work  within  our  bounds,  you  ought  to  consult  us.  It  is 
not  right  that  we  should  have  no  knowledge  of  what  you  are 
doing,  except  as  one  of  our  members  reports  a personal  con- 
versation with  an  individual  missionary  whom  he  may  happen 
to  meet.” 

Suppose  conditions  were  reversed,  and  that  Presbyterians  in 
Japan  were  to  send  missionaries  to  preach  in  the  United  States. 
Suppose  they  were  to  say  to  our  Presbyteries:  “We  are  doing 
this  work  for  you  and  we  expect  the  congregations  which  we 
develop  to  become  members  of  your  Presbyteries  and  that  you 

D 


48 

will  assume  oversight  and  care  of  them.”  Would  not  the 
American  Presbyteries  reply;  ‘AVe  welcome  your  assistance  on 
condition  that  the  work  be  conducted  under  the  supervision  of 
a joint  committee  on  which  we  have  equal  representation.” 
Would  not  that  be  deemed  fair?  Would  any  American  Pres- 
bytery demand  less?  The  fact  is  that  our  home  mission  Pres- 
b}deries  in  America  insist  upon  the  right  of  exclusive  control 
of  their  work,  even  when  all  their  churches  are  aided  by  the 
Board  of  Home  Missions  two  thousand  miles  away.  Is  it 
objected  that  Americans  and  Japanese  are  not  the  same?  I fear 
that  the  Japanese  suspect  that  a feeling  of  this  kind  underlies 
some  of  the  opposition  to  their  demand  for  equal  rights ; that 
there  is  a disposition  to  treat  them  as  not  on  the  same  plane 
wdth  ourselves ; and  they  resent  it. 

Some  earnest  objection  to  “Co-operation  by  Definition”  was 
based  upon  the  allegation  that  what  the  Japanese  really  want 
is  control  of  missionary  money  and  of  the  work  of  the  mis- 
sionaries themselves.  The  Japanese  leaders,  in  the  two  confer- 
ences referred  to,  emphatically  denied  this.  They  simply  felt 
that  the  evangelistic  work  of  a Mis.sion  within  the  bounds  of 
a Presbytery  should  be  conducted  under  a Joint  Committee. 
They  stated,  in  reply  to  my  question,  that  they  did  not  ask  for 
a majority  representation,  but  simply  for  half;  and  that  this 
equally  balanced  committee  should  decide  where  work  was  to 
be  done,  what  Japanese  should  be  employed  to  do  it,  what  sal- 
aries should  be  paid  to  them,  etc. 

Less  risk  is  inyolyed  than  some  imagine.  It  is  true  that  a 
Joint  Committee  of  Japanese  and  missionaries  woidd  control 
evangelistic  work  and  expenditure  in  a given  year.  But  the 
Mission  and  the  Board  would  retain  the  sole  power  to  determine 
the  amount  which  should  be  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Joint 
Committee  for  this  purpose.  They  could  increase  or  decrease 
the  grant  for  the  following  year  absolutely  at  their  own  dis- 
cretion. If  the  majority  of  the  missionaries  in  Japan  were  to  ad- 
vise the  Board  that  its  money  was  being  unwisely  used,  and  that 
they  could  not  convince  their  Japanese  brethren  of  this,  the 
Board  would  be  entirely  free  to  diminish  or  to  discontinue  its 
grant  altogether.  All  that  is  financially  involved  in  “Co-opera- 
tion by  Definition”  is  that  the  money  that  the  Mission  and  the 
Board  can  deyote  to  eyangelistic  work  in  a giyen  year  shall  be 
controlled  by  the  Joint  Committee.  This  sum  for  the  current 
fiscal  year  is  about  $16,000  gold  for  both  the  East  and  West 
Japan  ^Missions.  I hope  it  can  be  more  next  year;  but  we  can 
make  it  less  if  we  think  best. 

To  make  sure  that  I was  not  mistaken  on  this  point,  I asked 
the  Japanese  leaders  at  both  the  Tokyo  and  Osaka  Confer- 


49 


dices  for  their  understanding.  They  replied;  “We  would  not 
presume  to  dictate  to  the  Boaid  in  New  York  how  much  money 
it  should  expend  for  evangelistic  work.  The  Board  has  abso- 
lute control  of  that  question  without  consultation  with  the 
Japanese.”  They  simply  felt  that  whatever  amount  we  did 
spend  should  be  through  a Joint  Committee. 

One  does  not  long  hear  and  read  objections  to  sharing  con- 
trol of  evangelistic  work  with  native  Presbyteries  before  he 
becomes  conscious  of  an  underlying  theological  position.  It  is 
seldom  explicitly  stated,  but  one  soon  comes  to  feel  that  it  is 
more  determinative,  with  some  at  least,  than  most  of  the  other 
objections.  This  position  appears  to  be,  in  substance,  that  the 
Native  Church  cannot  yet  be  prudently  entrusted  with  questions 
which  affect  evangelistic  work  in  relation  to  the  Missions,  as 
there  is  reason  to  fear  that  they  may  be  influenced  by  possible 
theological  tendencies  which  the  objectors  regard  as  danger- 
ous. It  would  not  be  practicable  for  me  to  argue  in  this  report 
the  theological  questions  involved.  I am  concerned  here,  not 
with  the  ecclesiastical  phases  of  the  problem,  but  simply  with 
their  bearing  upon  mission  policy.  The  objection  seems  to  me 
to  be  based  upon  the  following  assumptions: 

First;  That  we  need  to  be  afraid  of  our  avowe.l  aim  to  es- 
tablish a self-supporting,  self-governing  and  self-propagating 
Church. 

Second:  That  the  Church  in  Asia  must  be  conformed  to  a 
particular  t\pe  of  theology  as  defined  in  Europe  or  America. 

Third;  That  we  are  responsible  for  all  the  future  mistakes 
of  a Church  which  we  have  once  founded. 

Fourth;  That  Christ  who  “purchased”  the  Church,  and  who 
is  its  “Head.”  cannot  be  trusted  to  guide  it. 

I repeat  what  I have  said  elsewhere  on  this  subject:  Let  us 
have  faith  in  our  brethren  and  faith  in  God.  When  Christ  said 
that  He  would  be  with  His  disciples  even  unto  the  end,  He 
meant  His  disciples  in  Asia  and  Africa  as  well  as  in  Europe 
and  America.  The  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit  are  not  con- 
fined to  the  white  race.  Are  we  to  take  no  account  of  His 
guidance?  He  is  still  in  the  world  and  will  not  forsake  His 
own.  We  should  plant  in  non-Christian  lands  the  fundamental 
principles  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and  then  give  the  Native 
Church  reasonable  freedom  to  make  some  adaptations  for  itself. 
If,  in  the  exercise  of  that  freedom,  it  does  some  things  that  we 
deprecate,  let  us  not  be  frightened  or  imagine  that  our  work 
has  been  in  vain.  Some  of  the  acts  of  the  Native  Church  which 
impress  us  as  wrong  may  not  be  so  wrong  in  themselves  as  we 
imagine,  but  simply  due  to  its  dififerent  way  of  doing  or  stating 
things.  When  a question  arose  regarding  the  theological 


50 


trustworthiness  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan,  Mr.  Robert 
E.  Speer  wrote:  “I  believe  that  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan 

is  sound  on  the  great  evangelical  convictions The  leaders 

stand  for  what  is  central  and  fundamental.  Their  battle  is 
with  atheism  and  materialism,  with  agnosticism  and  Unitarian 
ism.  We  must  not  insist  on  raising  issues  within  the  ranks  of 
those  who  are  fighting  these  battles  which  are  not  essential  to 
fidelity  to  the  great  central  convictions.  Having  confidence  in 
the  Church  and  its  leaders.  I think  we  must  be  very  careful  not 
to  antagonize  them  on  issues  that  are  not  absolutely  funda- 
mental.”* 

The  Rev.  D.  C.  Greene.  D.D.,  the  pioneer  missionary  of  the 
American  Board,  in  a booklet  entitled  “After  Forty  Years  in 
Japan,”  writes:  “Our  Japanese  associates  have  also  had  their 
l^rovidential  training  and  it  is  only  just  that  we  should  recog- 
nize, as  we  most  joyfully  do.  their  maturity  of  faith,  their  ripe- 
ness of  experience  and  their  fitness  for  leadership.  Mdiatever 
advantages  we  may  have  had  over  them  in  the  past  are  more 
than  compensated  for  by  the  advantages  which  are  theirs  by 
right  of  birth.  It  may  well  be  that  they  have  missed  certain 
experiences  which  we  prize  and  which  we  have  drawn  from 
our  long  Christian  ancestry,  certain  conceptions  of  religious 
truth,  as  well  as  certain  habits  of  thought  and  action,  wdiich  we 
can  bring  as  our  contribution  to  the  faith  and  life  of  the  Church. 
Thus,  within  our  individual  spheres  we  may  be  fitted  to  serve 
as  experts  in  the  furtherance  of  Christian  work  ; but  the  respon- 
sibility of  leadership  is  theirs,  and  it  is  a joy  to  know  that  this 
responsibility  has  fallen  upon  men  so  worthy  of  the  confident 
loyalty  of  their  Christian  countrymen.” 

It  was  urged  that  the  relation  of  a Mission  to  a Native 
Church  is  a matter  to  be  settled  on  the  field  and  that  the  Board 
should  not  interfere.  For  many  years  I have  strongly  empha- 
sized as  a cardinal  principle  of  missionary  administration  the 
dignitv  anri  authoritv  of  the  ^Mission  within  their  proper  sphere 
of  responsibility.  But  the  question  whether  a Mission  shall  co- 
C’perate  with  a Native  Church  so  vitally  affects  the  main  pur- 
pose for  which  the  Board  and  the  Home  Church  suj^port  mis- 
sionaries. that  the  Board,  which  has  been  “constituted  by  the 
General  Assemblv  to  supervise  and  conduct  the  work  of  For- 
eign Missions.”  cannot  regard  it  as  a purely  local  matter.  In- 
deed it  is  doubtful  whether  the  Board  could  long  support  a 
Mission  who.se  work  could  not  be  done  in  harmony  with  the 
Native  Church.  It  would  not  be  necessary  to  order  with- 
drawal. The  strained  relations  on  the  field  and  the  continued 
paralysis  of  the  work  would  inevitably  result  in  loss  of  interest 


• The  Foreign  Missionary,  page  304. 


51 


at  home.  In  the  distribution  of  available  resources,  it  would  be 
inevitable  that  preference  should  be  given  to  regions  which 
promise  more  harmony  and  success  than  would  be  possible  in  a 
field  where  the  position  of  the  Mission  is  “not  war,  but  in- 
creasing isolation.”  Withdrawal  would  take  place  automatic 
ally. 

Happily  for  us,  however,  the  Board  was  not  obliged  to  over- 
rule our  missionaries.  Of  the  seventy-six  on  our  roll  in  Japan, 
1 could  learn  of  only  nineteen  who  are  opposed  to  ‘Co-opera- 
tion by  Definition.”  I announced  this  in  a crowded  conference 
of  the  two  ^Missions  at  Karuizawa  and  called  for  correction  if 
I was  in  error ; no  one  challenged  the  statement.  Eight  of  the 
nineteen,  while  greatly  troubled  by  the  Synod’s  decision,  are 
nevertheless  willing  to  acc|uiesce  in  the  judgment  of  tlie  major- 
ity and  give  the  “Definition”  a fair  trial.  Only  eleven  out  of 
the  entire  seventy-six  felt,  when  I was  in  Japan,  that  they  could 
not  acquiesce.  The  fact  that  for  convenience  of  local  adminis- 
tration our  missionaries  are  divided  into  two  Missions,  and  that 
the  present  division  has  enabled  the  eleven  dissenters  to  secure 
a working  majority  of  the  smaller  body,  is  an  accident  of  the 
situation  which  cannot  be  considered  as  affecting  the  merits  of 
the  question  at  issue.  The  Board  must  be  guided,  in  such  a 
large  matter  of  policy,  by  the  consensus  of  our  missionary  body 
in  Japan.  It  cannot  acquiesce  in  following  one  policy  in  East 
Japan  and  an  opposite  policy  in  West  Japan.  Both  Missions 
are  dealing  with  the  same  Japanese  Church.  The  conditions  of 
the  work  are  substantially  the  same.  “Co-operation  by  Defini- 
tion” means  the  same  thing  in  both  Missions. 

We  may  state  the  case  in  another  way.  There  are  four 
bodies  concerned,  the  East  Japan  Mission,  the  West  Japan 
Mission,  the  Church  of  Christ  and  the  Board.  Three  of  these 
bodies  were  agreed  upon  “Co-operation  by  Definition.” 

The  Board,  therefore,  was  not  opposing  its  missionaries  in 
Japan  in  this  matter:  it  was  simplv  sustaining  a large  majority 
against  a comparatively  small  minority.  It  might  be  added 
that  of  the  four  Boards  concerned,  three — the  Dutch  Reform- 
ed, the  German  Reformed  and  our  own — have  approved  the 
Definition. 

In  the  conferences  at  Tokyo  and  Osaka,  the  Japanese  inti- 
mated that  it  was  probable  that  the  approaching  meeting  of 
the  Synod  would  consider  some  alternative  for  those  Missions 
which  refused  to  accept  Co-operation  by  Definition;  but  they 
made  it  clear  that  if  any  such  modification  should  be  agreed  to, 
it  would  nor  represent  the  judgment  or  the  desire  of  the  Synod, 
but  would  be  simply  a compromise  for  the  time  with  those 
Missions  which  would  not  co-operate  in  the  way  desired  by  the 


52 


Church  and  witli  winch  the  Synod  did  not  want  open  rupture. 
As  a matter  of  fact,  the  Synod  at  its  meeting  in  October 
( 1909)  adopted  the  following  report  of  a special  committee 
on  this  subject; 

“In  1906  the  Synod  formulated  a Definition  of  Cooperation  and  ad- 
vised the  Missions  hitherto  known  as  ‘Cooperating  Alissions’  to  present 
ab  initio  to  the  Japanese  Board  of  Missions  (Dendo  Kyokn)  plans  of  co- 
operation based  on  the  definition. 

“The  West  Japan  Mission  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  the  Ger- 
man Reformed  Church  presented  plans  of  cooperation,  based  on  the 
definition  which  the  Dendo  Kyokn  accepted  and  is  at  present  putting  into 
operation.  .According  to  what  we  positively  know,  it  is  .said  that  the 
Presbyterian  Board  and  the  German  Reformed  Board  heartily  approve 
the  definition. 

“However,  some  Missions  are  not  willing  to  cooperate  by  definition, 
but  at  the  same  time  wish  to  retain  certain  connection  with  the  Church 
of  Qirist  in  Japan,  and  so,  according  to  the  decision  of  the  Synod  of 
1908,  they  proposed  two  or  three  methods  to  the  Special  Committee.  The 
Southern  Presbyterian  Mission  and  the  North  Dutch  Missions  introduced 
almost  identical  proposals,  and  the  South  Dutch  Mission  introduced  two 
proposals,  but  not  as  a final  agreement  but  as  a basis  of  relations.  The 
East  Japan  Mission  sent  in  proposals  the  same  as  the  North  Dutch 
Alission,  but  as  the  E;ist  Japan  proposals  had  not  the  sanction  of  the 
Board,  the  Committee  were  obliged  to  return  them.  The  Special  Com- 
mittee, after  careful  consultation,  recommend  that  the  Synod  adopt  the 
following  resolutions  in  the  spirit  of  tolerance  and  peace. 

RESOLUTION. 

“The  Synod  of  1906  adopted  a definition  of  a cooperating  Mission, 
and  still  maintains  the  same  regarding  the  fundamental  principle  in- 
volved in  it  as  proper.  Nevertheless,  out  of  regard  for  the  hitherto 
friendly  relations  existing  between  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan  and 
the  various  Missions,  togetlier  with  the  Churches  they  represent,  more- 
over in  order  to  avoid  the  establishment  in  Japan  of  a new  sect  for 
which  no  necessity  exists,  proposes  the  following  mutual  agreement  to 
non-cooperating  Missions,  not  as  a substitute  for  co-operation.  .A  mis- 
sion wishing  to  enter  into  this  mutual  agreement  must  first  secure  con- 
sent of  the  Board  in  the  matter. 

“.ARTICLES  ON  MUTt'-M.  AOREEMENT. 

“Such  Missions  as  desire  to  enter  upon  this  mutual  agreement  shall 
conduct  their  evangelistic  work  in  accordance  with  the  following 
articles ; 

“i,  Such  Alissions  shall  sincerely  accept  the  Confession  of  Faith,  the 
Constitution  and  Canons  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan;  moreover 
they  shall  recognize  these  as  appropriate  to  and  sufficient  for  ministers, 
evangelists,  and  Mission  Churches  and  preaching  places  connected  with 
Missions. 

“j.  .Anyone  who  wishes  to  engage  in  evangelistic  (Dendo)  work 
under  the  Alission.  may  apply  to  Presbytery  for  licensure  or  ordination, 
and  when  licensed  or  ordained  shall  be  under  the  government  of  the 
Presbyteiy.  Alinisters  shall  have  the  standing  of  corresponding  mem- 
bers of  Presbytery  and  Synod. 

"3.  Alission  preaching-places  and  Alission-aided  Churches  shall  have 
no  organic  connection  with  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan,  but  their 
statistics  shall  be  entered  in  a separate  column,  and  they  shall  annually 


S3 


report  to  Presbytery  their  financial  and  spiritual  condition.  Moreover, 
they  shall  use  their  every  effort  to  promote  the  general  welfare  and 
progress  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan. 

“4.  Missions  shall  not  organize  churches.  When  Mission-aided 
churches  or  preaching  places  wish  to  become  Churches,  they  shall  belong 
to  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan. 

"5.  In  case  these  articles  of  agreement  are  to  be  amended,  on  the 
agreement  of  both  Missions  (having  received  the  consent  of  their 
Board)  and  the  Synod  (acting  on  the  resolution  of  the  Standing  or 
Special  Committee)  the  amendment  may  be  made.  But  such  amend- 
ment must  not  conflict  with  the  action  of  the  Synod  in  1907. 

“In  case  the  desire  is  to  terminate  the  agreement,  the  Mission  with 
the  consent  of  its  Board,  and  the  Synod  on  action  of  its  Standing  Com- 
mittee, must  give  notice  a year  in  advance  of  such  intention. 

Kajinosuke  Ibuka,  Masahisa  Uemura, 

Kota  Hoshino,  Kwanji  Mori, 

Kojiro  Kivama,  Hokosaku  Baba, 

Takechi  Hiravama,  Matakichi  Hoshino, 
iMiBuo  Saito,  Kotano  Hikaru. 

The  Committee 


SUPPLEMENTARY  RESOLUTIONS. 

“i.  A copy  of  the  foregoing  resolutions  shall  be  sent  to  Missions  who 
desire  to  keep  a certain  connection  with  our  Church  by  methods  other 
than  cooperation. 

“2.  The  Standing  Committee  or  Special  Committee  has  the  authority 
of  making  an  agreement  with  any  Mission  which  within  the  year  informs 
them  that  they  will  carry  on  their  evangelistic  work  according  to  this 
agreement. 

“3.  Missions  that  have  entered  upon  this  agreement  and  other  Mis- 
sions as  well  that  wish  to  make  ab  initio  plans  of  cooperation  must 
present  proposals  of  cooperation  to  the  Dendo  Kyoku  of  the  Synod.” 

Thi.s  may  serve  as  a temporary  working  basis  for  those  Mis- 
sions which  feel  that  they  cannot  accept  Co-operation  by  De- 
finition. It  does  not  impress  me,  however,  as  affording  any 
real  relief.  We  cannot  afford,  in  our  relations  with  a self-gov- 
erning Native  Church,  to  accept  a compromise  which  has  vir- 
tually been  extorted  from  it  as  the  price  of  peace.  It  is  to  the 
credit  of  the  Church  of  Christ  that  it  was  willing  partially  to 
waive  its  judgment  in  order  to  preserve  at  least  the  semblance 
of  amicable  relations  with  missionaries.  But  such  adjustment 
cannot  be  considered  a settlement  of  the  matter.  It  is  not  Co- 
operation and  it  is  not  likely  to  result  in  harmony.  It  is  sim- 
ply a truce.  I was  gratified,  therefore,  when  tlie  Board  de- 
clined to  ask  for  the  compromise  and  clearly  reiterated  its 
willingness  to  accept  “Co-operation  by  Definition”  as  the 
Church  desires.  Its  action,  September  20,  1909,  was  as  fol- 
lows ; 

“.A.  communication  was  received  from  the  East  Japan  Mis- 
sion requesting  the  Board  so  to  modify  its  action  of  December 
21,  1908,  as  to  authorize  the  Mission  to  present,  uncondition- 
ally to  the  Synod  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan,  through  its 


54 


Special  Committee,  a plan  of  affiliation  as  having  the  sanction 
of  the  Board.  The  Board  voted  to  reply,  expressing  regret  that 
there  has  been  any  misunderstanding  in  its  action  of  December 
21,  1908,  tending  to  obscure  in  the  minds  of  the  Mission  the 
real  position  of  the  Board  with  reference  to  this  whole  question 
of  relations  with  the  Church  of  Christ  of  Japan.  The  Board 
has  accepted  the  principle  of  co-operation,  and  not  affiliation, 
as  the  proper  policy  for  our  Missions  to  adopt  in  their  work 
in  Japan.  To  this  the  Board  stands  committed  irrevocably,  as 
long  as  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan  desires  that  policy,  or 
until  a full  and  fair  trial  shall  have  clearly  demonstrated  that 
such  a policy  is  unworkable.  The  request  of  the  Mission  is, 
therefore,  declined,  and  the  ^Mission  once  more  urged  to  pro- 
ceed immediately  with  negotiations  for  co-operation.” 

When  this  action  became  known,  the  East  Japan  Mission 
held  another  meeting  (Oct.  11-12,  1909).  A resolution  “that 
the  }^Iission  present  to  the  Dendo  Kyoku  the  plans  of  Co- 
operation already  approved  by  the  Board”  was  finally  carried 
by  a majority  of  nine  to  two.  It  was  agreed  that  others  might 
record  their  votes,  and  the  final  vote  stands  about  eleven  to  six. 

Thus  the  long  controversy  appears  to  have  ended,  as  far  as 
official  actions  are  concerned,  and  “Co-operation  by  Definition” 
has  now  been  accepted  by  both  of  our  Japan  Missions.  It  is 
onlv  fair  to  add,  however,  that  those  who  believe  the  “Defini- 
tion” to  be  wrong  in  orinciple  are  apparently  still  of  the  same 
opinion.  They  have  yielded  simply  because,  as  one  of  them  is 
reported  to  have  expressed  it,  “the  attitude  of  the  Church  of 
Christ  and  the  Board  is  so  clear  and  decisive  that  further  oppo- 
sition is  useless.” 

Let  us  now  give  “Co-operation  b}'  Definition”  a fair  trial. 
After  all,  the  whole  plan  is  an  experiment.  We  are  in  a period 
of  transition,  and  precedents  do  not  guide.  The  “Definition” 
was  not  chosen  by  us  as  the  ideal  one.  It  was  the  form  in 
which  the  Japanese  pressed  it.  and  we  had  to  deal  with  the  con- 
dition, not  the  theory.  Since  we  have  yielded  to  the  Church, 
large  responsibility  rests  upon  it  to  make  the  trial  successful. 
If  it  is  not,  I venture  to  believe  that  the  Church  of  Christ  will 
be  willing  to  make  any  reasonable  modifications. 

THE  NATIVE  CHURCH. 

I regret  that  the  limits  of  this  report  do  not  permit  a full 
discussion  of  some  other  phases  of  the  general  question  of  the 
relationship  of  the  Missions  and  the  Board  to  the  Native 
Church  in  other  lands  as  well  as  Japan.  The  growth  of  the 
Church  in  intelligence,  stability  and  faith  is  at  once  the  great- 
est joy  and  the  greatest  anxiety  of  modern  missionary  work. 


55 


These  Churches  are  the  fruition  of  the  hopes  and  toils  and 
prayers  of  missionaries  and  their  supporters  in  home  lands. 
With  the  Apostle  John  we  can  say  that  we  “have  no  greater  joy 
than  to  hear  that  ‘our’  children  walk  in  truth.’’ 

But  with  the  development  of  these  Churches  came  new 
problems  that  are  more  difficult  than  any  which  we  have  yet 
had  to  face.  We  are  dealing  not  with  men  of  our  own  race  and 
speech  whose  customs  and  ways  of  thinking  we  understand, 
but  with  men  of  other  blood  and  different  points  of  view,  men 
whose  hereditary  influences  are  far  removed  from  ours  and 
whose  minds  we,  as  foreigners,  cannot  easily  comprehend.  They 
are  not  interested  in  some  of  the  theological  discussions  which 
have  long  engrossed  the  attention  of  the  Western  world.  They 
find  some  of  our  methods  unsatisfactory  to  them.  They  wish 
to  determine  their  own  forms  of  government,  to  write  their 
own  creeds,  and  to  accept  the  advice  of  alien  missionaries  only 
so  far  as  it  commends  itself  to  their  judgment. 

It  is  inevitable  in  these  circumstances  that  differences  should 
arise  and  that  the  Native  Churches  should  do  some  things  which 
appear  to  us  to  be  unwise  and  perhaps  injurious.  It  is  a new 
experience  for  the  white  man,  who  has  been  accustomed  to 
feel  that  he  represents  superior  intelligence,  to  find  himself 
shouldered  aside  by  men  whom  he  has  long  regarded  as  his 
inferiors.  It  is  usually  hard  for  a parent  to  realize  that  his  son 
has  come  tc  an  age  wdien  he  must  decide  certain  things  for 
himself,  and  this  feeling  is  intensified  in  the  relations  of  mis- 
sionaries from  the  West  to  the  native  Christians  of  the  East. 

All  the  more  should  w'e  be  on  our  guard  against  disappoint- 
ment and  wounded  pride.  We  must  recognize  the  fact  that 
the  native  Church  has  rights  w'hich  we  ourselves  claimed  in 
earlier  days,  rights  w'hich  are  inseparable  from  those  truths 
which  W’e  have  long  sought  to  inculcate.  W’e  know'  that  the 
knowledge  of  the  Gospel  awakens  new  life.  Wh\  should  w’e 
be  surprised  that  this  knowledge  is  doing  in  Asia  what  it  is  our 
boast  that  it  did  in  Europe,  and  why  should  w’e  be  afraid  of 
the  spirit  which  we  ourselves  have  invoked?  It  is  only  people 
of  spirit  who  are  worth  anything.  When  the  rights  and  dig- 
nities of  the  ^Mission  or  the  Board  appear  to  be  jeopardized,  let 
us  not  harbor  a sense  of  injury  or  feel  that  we  must  resent 
what  we  conceive  to  be  an  infringement  of  our  prerogatives.  It 
is  better  to  go  to  the  other  extreme  and  say  that  we  have  no 
rights  in  Asia,  except  the  right  of  serving  our  brethren  there. 

Tw'O  phases  have  long  been  current  in  missionary  literature 
and  correspondence  which  illustrate  the  difficulty  of  the  situa- 
tion. Thev  are  “native  agents’’  and  “native  helpers.’’  “Agents 
and  helpers’’  of  w’hom?  ^Missionaries,  of  course.  Precisely; 


56 


and  yet  these  men  belong  to  proud  and  sensitive  races  and  are 
not  infrequently  our  equals.  We  have  now  come  to  the  point 
in  Japan,  China  and  India,  and  we  are  rapidly  •approaching  it 
in  some  other  countries,  where  we  should  not  only  abandon 
this  terminology,  but  the  whole  attitude  of  mind  of  which  it  is 
the  expression. 

It  is  a grave  question  whether  our  whole  missionary  policy 
is  not  too  largely  centered  upon  the  Board  and  the  missionary, 
rather  than  upon  the  native  Church.  We  have  theorized  about 
the  interests  of  the  Church,  but  we  have  usually  acted  upon  the 
supposition  that  our  own  interests  were  paramount.  W'e  are  in 
constant  correspondence  and  contact  with  missionaries ; but, 
save  for  an  occasional  secretarial  visit,  we  have  no  oppor- 
tunity to  come  into  touch  with  the  native  Christians.  We  are 
in  danger  of  being  ignorant  of  their  points  of  view  and  states 
of  mind.  \\’hen  the  Board  makes  out  its  annual  appropriations, 
it  first  sets  aside  everything  required  for  the  support  of  the 
missionary  himself — his  salary,  house-rent,  furlough,  children's 
allowance,  etc.  What  is  left  goes  to  the  native  and  current 
work.  That  which  we  have  done  financially,  we  have  done  in 
everything. 

To  a certain  extent  this  is  not  only  right  but  necessary.  The 
missionary  is  “one  sent”  from  a distant  land.  He  is  living  far 
from  his  natural  environment  and  in  such  circumstances  that 
he  must  be  wholly  supported  from  home.  We  cannot  send  men 
into  the  heart  of  Asia  and  Africa  and  subject  them  to  uncer- 
tainties as  to  their  maintenance  and  position.  The  native  is  in 
his  natural  environment.  He  supported  himself  before  the  mis- 
sionary came  and  his  ability  to  stay  is  independent  of  the  mis- 
sionary. We  cannot,  therefore,  place  the  missionary  and  the 
native  minister  on  the  same  plane  from  the  view-point  of  our 
financial  responsibility.  We  must  maintain  the  missionary  in 
full  to  the  very  end,  not  expecting  or  permitting  him  to  receive 
the  support  of  the  Native  Churches.  We  are  not  expected  to 
maintain  the  native  Church  to  the  end,  but  only  to  assist  it  in 
getting  started. 

Making  all  due  allowance  for  these  considerations,  the  gen- 
eral fact  remains  that  our  policy  in  its  practical  operation  has 
not  sufficiently  taken  into  account  the  development  of  the  Na- 
tive Church  and  the  recognition  of  its  rights  and  privileges. 
We  have  built  up  Missions,  emphasized  their  authority  and  dig- 
nity, and  kept  them  separate  from  the  Native  Church,  until,  in 
some  regions  at  least,  the  Mission  has  become  such  an  inde- 
pendent centralized  body,  .so  entrenched  in  its  station  com- 
pounds and  with  all  power  .so  absolutely  in  its  hands,  that  the 
.Native  Chmch  feels  heljiless  and  irritated  in  its  presence.  The 


57 


larger  re-enforcements  we  send,  the  greater  the  danger  be- 
comes. Many  missionaries  feel  this  so  keenly  that  they  urge 
the  abandonment  of  the  policy  of  segregating  missionaries  on 
compounds  and  favor  distributing  them  in  small  groups  and 
even  individual  families  so  that  they  will  live  among  the  people 
and  identif)’  themselves  with  them.  This  is  the  German  policy 
and  it  has  strong  advocates  among  missionaries  of  other  na- 
tionalities. The  Irish  and  Scotch  ^Missions  in  Manchuria  fol- 
low this  course,  scattering  their  missionaries  over  many  places 
instead  of  concentrating  them  in  a few.  We  have  some  sta- 
tions of  this  kind,  and  indeed  some  whole  ^lissions  whose  fam- 
ilies are  few  and  scattered  enough  in  all  conscience.  But  oui 
general  jx)licy  is  one  of  concentration  in  strong  stations  and 
the  small  ones  usually  call  pretty  vigorously  for  i e-enforce- 
ments. Full  discussion  of  this  question  would  take  me  too  far 
afield  just  now.  There  are  two  sides  to  it  and  on  the  whole  I 
favor  our  present  iwlicy  of  well-equipped  stations.  But  such 
stations  should  be  on  their  guard  against  the  danger  of  a sepa- 
rative, exclusive  spirit,  and  it  should  not  be  assumed  that  effi- 
ciency necessarily  increases  in  proportion  to  numbers.  The 
machinery  of  large  stations  is  apt  to  become  complicated  and  to 
require  time  so  that  doubling  a station  force  seldom  doubles  the 
work.  Except  where  there  are  higher  educational  institutions, 
four  families  are  a better  station  staff  than  eight.  Let  the  other 
four,  if  they  can  be  sent,  man  another  station. 

The  reasons  for  vesting  financial  power  in  the  Missions,  as 
far  as  foreign  funds  are  concerned,  are  strong;  but  the  time 
has  come  when  the  Presbyteries  on  the  foreign  field  ought  to  be 
given  a larger  cooperative  share  insupervisingevangelistic  work, 
and  in  some  places,  full  responsibility  for  expending  the  funds 
which  the}"  raise.  One  reason  why  our  Presbyteries  in  many  fields 
are  not  showing  that  fidelity  and  aggressiveness  which  we  de- 
sire is  because  they  have  practically  no  power.  They  are  over- 
shadowed by  the  Mission.  All  questions  affecting  the  work  are 
decided  by  the  missionaries  within  the  close  preserve  of  the 
^Mission.  The  native  pastors  and  elders  feel  that  they  have  no 
voice  in  the  real  conduct  of  affairs  and  therefore  they  have  little 
sense  of  responsibility  for  it.  Sometimes  they  acquiesce  in- 
differently in  this  situation  and  become  negligent ; sometimes 
they  acquiesce  under  necessity  and  become  irritated.  In  either 
case,  the  result  is  unfortunate. 

.-\.s  I have  already  intimated.  I emphasized  conferences  with 
native  leaders  and  tried  to  get  into  touch  with  them.  I am  not 
so  ignorant  of  the  .Asiatic  mind  as  to  imagine  that  I wholly  suc- 
ceeded. Xo  man  can  run  out  from  .America  for  a visit  in  the 
Orient,  a man  who  does  not  understand  the  language  and  who 


58 


has  not  lived  among  the  people,  and  by  any  number  of  confer- 
ences conducted  through  an  interpreter  familiarize  hiuiself  with 
the  native  point  of  view.  i\Ien  who  lived  in  Asia  a life-time  con- 
fess that  there  is  still  much  that  is  inscrutable  to  them.  Still, 
by  asking  questions  of  representative  Christians  in  many  differ- 
ent fields  and  also  by  asking  questions  of  experienced  mission- 
aries and  thus  getting  the  benefit  of  the  knowledge  of  those  who 
are  in  a better  position  to  judge,  one  can  hardly  fail  to  get  some 
idea  of  the  Asiatic  attitude.  It  is  significant  that  in  all  m\ 
conferences  with  native  Christians  in  various  parts  of  Japan 
and  China  during  this  visit,  and  in  the  same  countries,  and  also 
in  Siam.  Laos.  India,  the  Philippines  and  Syria  during  my  for- 
mer visit.  I found  substantially  the  same  state  of  mind,  and 
conversations  with  hundreds  of  missionaries  of  our  own  and 
other  Boarcis  have  pointed  to  the  same  conclusion.  In  New 
York  we  are  constantly  corresponding  with  missionaries  scat- 
tered all  over  the  world,  and  in  the  course  of  years  and  in 
many  thousands  of  letters  certain  facts  and  opinions  are  clearlv 
apparent.  These  confirm  the  impressions  gained  on  the  fiehl. 

This  general  feeling  naturally  exists  in  varying  degrees  of  in- 
tensity. Sometimes,  it  is  strong;  sometimes  weak;  and  in  some 
places,  notably  Korea,  it  is  as  yet  hardly  observable,  for  rea- 
sons to  which  I refer  elsewhere.  But  taking  a wide  view  of  the 
situation  in  Asia,  as  I have  had  opportunity  to  study  it  on  two 
different  journeys  eight  years  apart,  in  many  different  countries 
and  in  fifteen  years  of  correspondence  as  a secretary,  it  seems 
to  me  indisputable  that  the  time  has  alread}'  come,  in  some 
places,  and  is  swiftly  coming  in  others,  when  the  Native  Church 
is  reaching  self-consciousness,  when  it  is  restive  under  the  domi- 
nation of  the  foreigner,  and  when  it  is  desirous  of  managing 
more  fully  its  own  affairs.  In  Japan,  the  Church  is  cietermined 
to  do  this  at  all  hazards,  even  though  it  has  to  lose  all  foreign 
assistance  whatever.  The  Church  of  Christ  is  willing  to  have 
foreign  missionaries  and  foreign  aid  only  on  condition  of  co- 
operaton  as  the  Church  defines  co-operation. 

In  China,  the  same  state  of  feeling  is  rapidlj'  developing, 
though  the  Chinese  feel  more  strongly  the  need  of  financial  as- 
sistance from  abroad.  Twice  in  North  China,  movements  have 
arisen  for  the  formation  of  an  independent  Chinese  Church, 
and  the  second  movement,  a recent  one,  would  probably  have 
succeeded  If  it  had  been  under  more  effective  leadership  and  if 
the  difficulty  of  financing  such  a Church  without  outside  aid  had 
not  been  so  serious.  I asked  the  Chinese  in  our  Peking  Confer- 
ence why  they  were  not  satisfied  with  the  Church  which  they 
already  have,  and  wdiich  we  are  cordially  w’illing  to  turn  over 
to  them  as  fast  as  they  are  able  to  assume  responsibility  for  it. 


59 


The  reply  was  to  the  efifect  that  the  Chinese  do  not  feel  that  the 
present  Church  is  Chinese ; they  regard  it  as  the  foreigners’ 
Church. 

The  same  feeling  developed  in  the  large  conference  with 
Chinese  leaders  in  Shanghai.  They  evidently  considered  the 
question  the  burning  one  and  they  discussed  nearly  all  day. 
Afterwards  we  took  it  up  in  the  missionaries’  conference. 
There,  too.  its  gravity  was  fully  recognized.  The  missionaries 
faced  it  squarely  and  handled  it  with  courage  and  wisdom.  The 
result  was  the  unanimous  adoption  of  the  following  paper: 

“Careful  consideration  was  given  to  the  questions  which  were 
raised  by  the  Giinese  leaders  in  their  conference  Saturday. 

‘A\’e  cordially  agree  with  our  Chinese  brethren,  and  indeed 
we  had  already  expressed  the  opinion,  that  the  time  has  come 
in  some  of  the  ^Missions,  and  that  it  is  rapidly  coming  in  others, 
when  the  Presbyteries  should  be  given  a larger  share  of  privi- 
lege and  responsibility,  both  in  the  conduct  and  support  of 
evangelistic  work,  the  selection  of  Chinese  evangelists,  etc.,  than 
now  exists  in  many  places. 

“We  also  believe  that  it  would  be  wise  to  give  the  Presby- 
tery or  Synod  concerned  some  representation  on  the  field  board 
of  managers  of  theological  seminaries,  which  are  most  vitally 
related  to  the  evangelistic  work  in  the  training  of  pastors  and 
evansrelists. 

“^^’e  recognize  that  there  are  many  details  which  will  have 
to  be  worked  out  with  care,  and  that  conditions  differ  in  vari- 
ous Missions.  We  therefore  content  ourselves  now  with  this 
general  expression  of  opinion,  and  we  earnestlv  commend  the 
whole  subject  to  the  earnest  consideration  of  our  respective 
Missions  at  their  next  annual  meetings. 

“We  wish  to  report  to  our  respective  Missions  that  the  Chi- 
nese. in  the  conference  referred  to.  expressed  great  interest  in 
other  educational  institutions  to  which  they  look  for  the  educa- 
tion of  their  children:  that  they  expressed  concern  about  their 
exclusion  from  consultation  regarding  them,  particularly  in 
matters  affecting  location  and  removal,  and  that  they  expressed 
deep  concern  regarding  the  cost  of  education  of  the  children  of 
the  poorer  Qiristians  and  particularly  the  children  of  pastors 
and  evangelists.  When  asked  whether  they  would  prefer  a 
.special  school  for  the  free  education  of  these  children,  or  spe- 
cial aid  in  schools  and  colleees  already  established,  they  unani- 
mously voted  for  the  latter.” 

When  these  resolutions  were  made  known  to  the  Chinese, 
they  expres.sed  unbounded  relief  and  gratification.  They  ap 
peared  to  feel  that  if  this  policy  were  ratified  by  the  Missions 
and  became  practically  operative,  the  consequences  would  be 


6o 


beneficial  in  the  highest  degree.  Some  fear  was  privately  ex- 
pressed that  they  read  into  the  resolutions  more  than  was  in- 
tenrled  : hut  as  I left,  copies  were  being  translated  into  Chinese 
so  that  the  exact  wording  could  he  in  their  hands. 

Nowhere  did  T find  a better  feeling  between  missionaries  and 
native  Christians  than  in  Shantung.  A committee  of  three, 
headed  by  the  Rev.  J.  A.  Fitch,  formulated  the  following  an- 
swer to  some  of  my  questions  on  the  Native  Church  and  the 
answers  were  approved  by  the  conference: 

‘‘.\s  a inattcr  of  fact",  the  Chinese  constituency  connected  with  tlic 
IMi.ssion  is  already  theoretically  entirely  tnider  the  control  of  the  local 
Presbyteries,  as  far  as  purely  ecclesiastical  matters  are  concerned.  The 
foreiorn  missionaries  sit  as  ordinary  members  of  the  local  church  courts. 
1 he  Chine.se  Church  is  making  steady  progress  in  the  direction  of  fitness 
for  e.xercising  this  power  of  self-government,  especially  in  the  Wei-hsien 
field.  .'Kny  e.xtension  of  power  could  only  be  made  in  the  direction  of 
giving  the  Chinese  Church  control  of  Mission  funds.  Such  a step  has 
not  yet  been  suggested  by  the  Chinese  Church,  and  would  not,  in  our 
judgment,  be  advisable. 

“The  Chinese  power  of  self-government  develops  rapidly  in  the 
Church.  .As  a people  they  are  not  wanting  in  a genius  for  government. 
The  development  of  financial  independence  and  Christian  education 
ought  to  bring  with  it  ample  ability  for  self-government. 

“Many  think  that  our  present  methods  do  give  sufficient  scope  to  the 
Native  Church.  to  the  present  there  has  not  been  much  evidence  of 
a desire  on  the  part  of  the  native  leaders  to  have  more  power  and  a 
wirier  field.  But  there  is  just  a little  indication  that  they  will  soon  be 
beginning  to  reach  out  for  more  power  of  control.  They  give  largely  to 
education,  and  it  is  but  natural  for  them  to  feel  that  they  should  share 
in  the  administration  of  educational  affairs  in  some  way.  They  also  give 
more  or  less  toward  helpers,  and  a similar  question  in  regard  to  their 
selection  and  direction  easily  arises.  They  have  not  been  given  this  power 
in  the  past  further  than  the  individual  church  choosing  their  own  evan- 
gelist, when  they  support  him.  There  is  here  a middle  ground  partly 
supported  by  foreign  funds  and  partly  bv  native.  .As  yet  no  plan  has 
been  worked  out  for  joint  control.  In  Wei-hsien  field,  however,  where 
the  patrons  are  responsible  for  about  three-fourths  of  the  cost  of  the 
hoys'  day  schools,  the  Presbytery  has  appointed  a man  who  jointly  with 
the  missionary  in  charge  controls  and  directs  the  boys'  day  school 
system.  But  whether  some  further  control  should  not  be  yielded  is  a 
serious  qitestion,  about  which  opinion  is  divided." 

Later  reports  imlicate  that  even  in  Shantung  evidences  of  the 
general  movement  among  Chinese  ministers  and  elders  are 
manifesting  themselves.  They  show  no  spirit  of  mere  criticism 
or  complaint ; only  the  healthy  ambitions  of  a normal  devel- 
opment; 

I'he  subject  is  too  large  and  involves  too  many  ramifications 
to  he  adequately  treated  in  this  report.  I can  onlv  raise  the 
question  now  in  this  tentative  way,  and  express,  the  earnest 
h ■'pe  that  the  Board  will  study  further  and  carefnllv  into  the 
whole  subject  and  hold  itself  in  readiness  to  admit  the  Native 


6i 


Churches  to  such  larger  i)articipatioii  in  the  supervision  of  the 
work  and  even  in  the  use  of  money  for  evangelistic  work  as  the 
Missions  may  deem  practicable  in  their  respective  fields.  There 
will  be  some  risks ; but  they  can  hardly  be  as  formidable  as  the 
risks  of  the  present  policy.  W'e  cannot  always  keep  the 
churches  of  Asia  in  leading  strings,  and  we  ought  not  to  do  so. 
W’e  must  trust  them  and  help  to  put  them  upon  their  feet. 

W'e  ought  to  face  these  new  questions  of  relationship,  not 
simply  because  they  are  forced  upon  us,  but  because  we  our- 
selves frankly  recognize  their  justice.  It  would  not  be  credit- 
able to  ua  tc  insist  upon  holding  all  power  in  our  own  hands 
until  some  aggressive  Church,  like  the  Church  of  Christ  in 
Japan,  forces  us  to  let  go.  W'e  ought  to  see  these  things  our- 
selves. If  we  really  desire  a self-reliant,  indigenous  Church, 
let  us  not  be  angry  or  frightened  when  signs  of  self-reliance 
appear. 

The  more  I see  of  the  Christians  of  Asia,  the  more  I respect 
and  love  them.  I expected  to  find  intelligence  and  earnestness  in 
the  Japanese  leaders,  for  I knew  the  social  and  intellectual 
strata  from  which  most  of  them  come.  But  T confess  that  I 
was  surprised  by  what  I saw  in  Korea  and  China  eight  year.-, 
ago.  anci  particularly  during  this  visit.  In  these  countries,  the 
Christians,  as  a class,  have  come  from  the  lower  strata  of  so- 
ciety. I do  not  mean  from  the  very  lowest,  nor  am  I unmind- 
ful that  some  of  the  Christians  are  men  and  women  of  the  up- 
per classes.  Nevertheless,  the  average  type  has  come  from  a 
lower  social,  financial  and  intellectual  level  than  the  Christians 
in  Japan.  The  Korean  communicants  are,  as  a rule,  humble 
villagers  or  peasants ; the  Chinese  communicants  small  farmers 
or  shop-keepers.  Few  in  either  China  or  Korea  had  any  edu- 
cation or  social  advantages  prior  to  their  baptism.  All  in 
Korea  and  the  large  majority  in  China  have  come  out  of  super- 
stition and  ignorance  within  a generation.  Pastors,  elders, 
evangelists  and  teachers  have  been  taken  from  this  level ; 
though  of  course  the  strongest  have  been  chosen  and  given  such 
training  as  was  practicable.  Our  schools  and  colleges  are  now 
turning  out  more  highly  educated  men.  But  most  of  the  leaders 
of  the  Native  Churches  still  belong  to  the  first  generation  of 
Christians,  and  had  little  education  in  youth  or  until  they  were 
converted.  But  in  our  conferences,  these  men  discussed  large 
questions  with  intelligence,  courtesy  and  dignity.  Sound  opin- 
ions were  expressed  and  ably  advocated.  We  felt  that  we  were 
conferring  with  men  who  were  our  equals. 

These  Christians  are  often  mighty  in  prayer.  A missionary 
writes  of  two  of  the  Qiinese  pastors  in  his  station;  “The 
prayerfulness  and  pastoral  spirit  of  these  leaders  have  been  a 


62 


rebuke  and  an  inspiration  to  me.  Their  conversation  is  usually 
on  the  Scriptures,  the  passages  of  which  they  can  find  better 
than  any  foreigner  I know ; and  their  thoughts  are  much  on  the 
problems  o)  the  little  groups  of  Christians.  Often  on  the  road 
we  have  stopped  and  prayed  specifically  for  what  the  leaders 
had  jotted  down  of  definite  petitions  for  particular  needs.  The 
reality,  sincerity  and  naturalness  of  their  prayers,  both  in 
thanksgiving  and  petition,  have  impressed  me.  Men  who  are 
not  living  ir  the  Spirit  cannot  ‘get  up’  such  prayers  as  they 
pray  all  the  time.’’ 

]\Iany  of  these  men.  too.  endure  hardness  for  Christ.  They 
do  not  have  the  mental  and  financial  support  of  the  foreigner. 
Xo  great  body  of  influential  people  in  other  lands  holds  up 
their  hands.  They  stand  alone,  not  only  in  their  social  and 
business  relations  but  sometimes  in  their  own  families.  They 
stand,  too.  as  a rule,  in  such  poverty  as  we  but  faintly  imagine, 
with  only  th.e  barest  necessities  of  physical  life  and  few  if  any 
of  its  comforts.  But  they  manifest  a fiflelity  and  courage  and 
loving  devotion  to  Christ  which  deeply  move  me.  If.  as 
Amiel  said,  “the  test  of  every  religious,  political  or  educational 
system  is  the  man  which  it  forms.”  Christianity  is  meeting  the 
test  in  Asia.  Tliese  men  are  our  brethren.  They  are  doing, 
to  say  the  least,  quite  as  well  as  any  of  us  would  do  in  similar 
circumstances.  Let  us  honor  them  and  trust  them.  Let  us  not 
call  them  any  longer  our  “agents”  or  “helpers,”  but  our  co- 
workers and  friends. 

I felt  anew  in  this  tour  that  the  .scattered  Churches  in  Asia 
today  are  in  about  the  same  position  as  the  Churches  of  the 
first . century  to  which  the  inspired  writers  addressed  their 
Epistles.  They,  too,  were  poor  and  lowly  people  in  the  midst 
of  a scoffing  and  hostile  world.  The  rich  and  the  great  heeded 
them  not.  and  fidelity  to  Christ  often  meant  loss  of  occupation 
and  persecution  which  were  hard  to  bear.  To  them  the  Apos- 
tles wrote,  expressing  the  affection  which  they  had  for  those 
early  Christians,  their  anxiety  as  they  considered  the  tempta- 
tions and  problems  which  they  were  facing,  and  yet  their  abso- 
lute confidence  that  God  would  guide  His  people  aright.  We 
re-read  those  Epistles  from  day  to  day  as  we  journeyed,  and  I 
was  impressed  by  the  similarity  of  ancient  and  modern  condi- 
tions. The  Apostles  could  hardly  have  written  differently  if 
they  had  directly  addressed  the  Churches  of  Asia  in  the  twen- 
tieth century.  The  little  companies  of  believers  at  Philippi  and 
Colosse,  Corinth  and  Ephesus,  and  the  sojourners  of  the  dis- 
persion in  Asia  Minor  are  reproduced  today  in  the  Churches  of 
China,  Japan  and  Korea,  and  in  thinking  of  them  we  would 
gladly  say  with  Paul  and  Peter  and  Jude:  “Grace  to  you,  and 


63 


peace  from  God  our  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I thank 
my  God  upon  all  my  remembrances  of  you,  always  in  every 
supplication  of  mine  on  behalf  of  you  all  making  my  supplication 
with  joy,  for  your  fellowship  in  furtherance  of  the  Gospel  from 
the  first  day  until  now ; being  confident  of  this  very  thing,  that 
He  who  began  a good  work  in  you  will  perfect  it  until  the  day 
of  Jesus  Christ : even  as  it  is  right  for  me  to  be  thus  minded  on 
behalf  of  yen  all.  because  I have  you  in  my  heart,  inasmuch  as, 
both  in  mv  bonds  and  in  the  defence  and  confirmation  of  the 
Gospel,  ye  all  are  partakers  with  me  of  grace.  For  God  is  my 
witness,  how  I long  after  you  all  in  the  tender  mercies  of  Jesus 
Christ.* 

“For  this  cause  we  also,  since  the  day  we  heard  it.  do  not 
cease  to  prav  and  make  request  for  you.  that  ye  mav  be  filled 
with  the  knowledge  of  his  will  in  all  spiritual  wisdom  and  un- 
derstanding, to  walk  worthily  of  the  Lord  unto  all  pleasing, 
bearing  fruit  in  every  good  work,  and  increasing  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  God.”J 

“Wherein  ye  greatly  rejoice,  though  now  for  a little  while, 
if  need  be,  ye  have  been  put  to  grief  in  manifold  trials,  that  the 
proof  of  your  faith,  being  more  precious  than  gold  that  per- 
isheth  though  it  is  proved  by  fire,  may  be  found  unto  praise 
and  glory  and  honor  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ;  whom 
not  having  seen  ye  love ; on  whom,  though  now  ye  see  him  not. 
vet  believing,  ye  rejoice  greatly  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full 
of  glory.”? 

“Now  unto  him  that  is  able  to  guard  you  from  stumbling  and 
to  set  you  before  the  presence  of  his  glory  without  blemish  in 
exceeding  joy,  to  the  only  God  our  Saviour,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord,  be  glory,  majesty,  dominion  and  power,  be- 
fore all  time,  and  now,  and  for  evermore.  Amen.”§ 

KOREA. 

The  Problem  of  Evangelistic  Success  and  Political 
Relationship  Among  a Helpless  People. 

• We  must  remind  ourselves  at  the  outset  that  the  Koreans, 
unlike  the  Japanese,  are  not  a masterful  people  with  imperial 
ambitions.  They  are  a subject  race,  and  they  have  been  for 
centuries.  It  is  true  that  there  were  periods  of  so-called  inde- 
pendence and  that  the  monarch  bore  the  proud  title  of  “Em- 
peror.” while  ministers  plenipotentiary  were  in  the  capitals  of 
Europe  and  America.  But  the  independence  was  seldom  more 
than  nominal.  The  Koreans  were  pulled  and  hauled  by  con- 
tending powers  until  the  nation  developed  an  attitude  of 
hopeless  submissiveness  or  rather  of  despair.  It  would  be  easy 
to  find  many  Koreans  who  would  deny  this,  and  easy  to  point 

•Phil.  1;2-S.  tcol.  1:8-9.  tl  Peter  1:6-8.  lJude  24:25. 

E 


64 


to  some  who  have  made  heroic  struggles  against  it ; but  the 
people  as  a whole  have  so  long  acquiesced  in  the  inevitable  that 
a certain  state  of  mind  has  resulted.  The  Koreans  do  not 
like  their  present  rulers  and  would  gladly  exchange  them  for 
the  Russians  or  almost  any  others.  Any  western  power  which 
might  enter  Korea  would  be  welcomed  with  open  arms.  But 
no  other  nation,  except  Russia,  has  the  slightest  thought  of  in- 
terfering with  Japanese  occupation,  and  Japan  is  on  her  guard 
against  Russia. 

.-\n  inherent  difficulty  which  runs  deep  and  affects  many 
problems  in  both  Church  and  State  is  the  fact  that  Korea  has 
no  middle  class,  no  manufacturing  or  professional  class,  no 
trained  leaders  of  any  kind.  There  are  only  two  classes,  the 
“noble”  and  the  peasant.  It  would  be  difficult  to  find  men  who 
are  less  noble  than  the  former,  the  Yangbans.  They  are  ef- 
feminate and  corrupt  to  the  last  degree.  The  common  people 
appear,  at  first  glance,  to  be  the  least  attractive  of  the  peoples 
of  Asia.  They  lack  the  energ\q  cleanliness  and  ambition  of  the 
Japane.se.  the  thrift,  industry  and  strength  of  the  Chinese.  The 
visitor  usually  comes  from  Japan  and  the  contrast  is  painful. 
The  villages  are  a squalid  collection  of  mushroom  hovels.  The 
streets  are  crooked  alleys  and  choked  with  filth,  except  where 
the  Japanese  have  enforced  a semblance  of  cleanliness.  The 
people  are  dirty  and  slothful.  IMore  unpromising  material,  ap- 
parently, could  hardly  be  found. 

Some  travelers  have  accepted  this  first  impression  as  final. 
“The  Korean  has  absolutely  nothing  to  recommend  him  except 
his  good  nature,”  declares  Whigham.  * Dr.  George  Trumbull 
Ladd  says : “The  native  character  is  rather  more  despicable 

than  that  of  any  other  people  whom  I have  come  to  know.”t 
George  Kennan  writes : “They  are  not  only  unattractive  and 
un.sympathetic  to  a Westerner  who  feels  no  spiritual  interest  in 
them,  but  they  appear  more  and  more  to  be  lazy,  dirty,  unscru- 
pulous, dishonest,  incredibly  ignorant,  and  wholly  lacking  in 
the  ,self-re.spect  that  comes  from  a consciousness  of  individual 
power  and  worth.  They  are  not  undevelojicd  savages : they 
are  the  rotten  product  of  a decayed  Oriental  civilization.”  t 

There  is  a great  deal  more  to  the  Korean  people  than  these 
pessimistic  utterances  would  indicate.  One  is  remind- 
ed of  one  of  I\Ir.  Russell’s  stories  in  “Collections  and  Recollec- 
tions.” When  Selina,  Countess  of  Huntingdon,  asked  the 
Duchess  of  Buckingham  to  accompany  her  to  a sermon  by 
Whitfield,  the  Duchess  replied  that  the  doctrines  of  the  Meth- 
odist preachers  were  most  repulsive  and  strongly  tinged  with 


* Manchuria  and  Korea. 

+ In  Korea  with  Marquis  Ito. 
X Article  in  The  Outlook. 


65 

impertinence  and  disrespect  toward  their  superiors.  “It  is 
monstrous  to  be  told,"  she  wrote,  “that  you  have  a heart  as 
simple  as  the  common  wretches  that  crawl  on  the  earth ; and  I 
cannot  but  wonder  that  your  ladyship  should  relish  any  senti- 
ments so  much  at  variance  with  high  rank  and  good  breeding." 

Physically,  the  average  Korean  is  a robust  man.  He  is  not 
as  tall  as  the  European  or  the  Chinese  of  the  northern  pro- 
vinces, but  he  is  larger  than  the  Japanese.  The  traveler  is 
amazed  by  the  strength  and  endurance  of  the  Korean  porters. 
.A.S  our  first  tour  of  Asia  was  expected  to  last  a year  and  a 
quarter,  we  took  with  us  not  only  small  steamer  trunks  that 
could  easily  be  carried  wherever  we  went,  but  two  iarge  store 
trunks  in  which  we  kept  extra  supplies  of  clothing  for  various 
emergencies.  These  store  trunks  we  ordinarity  left  at  a port 
while  we  traveled  through  the  interior.  They  were  heavy, 
weighing  between  200  and  250  pounds.  The  Korean  porters, 
however  made  light  of  them.  Each  porter  was  equipped  with 
a wooden  framework  called  a “jickie.”  It  roughlv  resembles 
a chair  upside  down  and  is  held  on  the  back  by  straps  or  ropes 
which  pass  over  the  shoulders  and  under  the  arms.  A porter 
stooped  while  a friend  placed  that  heavy  trunk  in  the  jickie, 
and  then  the  porter  with  comparatively  little  effort  rose  and 
jogged  along  as  far  as  we  wished  to  go.  In  this  way  our 
trunks  were  taken  from  the  waterside  at  Chemulpo  to  the  rail- 
wav  station,  and  then  they  were  taken  from  the  station  in  Seoul 
to  the  house  more  than  a mile  away  at  which  we  were  to'  be 
entertained.  I was  rather  dazed  by  the  performance.  I walked 
briskly  myself  and  had  nothing  to  carry,  but  the  trunks  were  at 
the  house  within  five  minutes  after  our  arrival,  the  charge  be- 
ing fifteen  sen  each  (about  seven  and  a half  cents).  These  men 
live  on  a diet  of  rice  and  beans,  with  a few  other  vegetables 
and  an  occasional  fish.  They  wear  short  jackets  and  baggy 
trousers,  both  of  white  cloth  which  is  always  dirty.  But  the 
muscles  in  their  legs  and  arms  are  mighty  bulging  knots  as 
hard  as  whip-cords. 

.\  significant  and  rather  startling  fact  is  that  with  the  ado]i- 
tion  of  foreign  dress  it  is  impossible  to  tell  Koreans  and  lap- 
anese  apart,  except  by  the  language.  The  marked  dissimilar- 
ity in  appearance  now  proves  to  have  been  in  the  top-knot, 
the  hor.se-hair  hat  and  the  flowing  white  garment.  The  ma- 
iority  of  the  Koreans  still  adhere  to  their  traditional  garb,  but 
increasing  numbers  in  the  cities  are  cutting  their  hair  Japanese 
fashion  and  wearing  the  same  style  clothing  as  their  conquer- 
ors. To  test  the  matter,  I repeatedly  asked  old  residents  in 
.Seoul  to  tell  me  whether  men  whom  we  met  on  the  streets  were 
Koreans  or  Japanese,  and  they  could  seldom  do  so  without 
asking  questions. 


66 


The  Korean’s  personal  courage  is  good,  as  he  has  repeatedly 
shown  in  his  former  wars  with  the  Japanese,  though  his  lack 
of  organization  and  competent  leadership  and  his  ignorance  of 
the  weapons  and  methods  of  modern  warfare  make  him  help- 
less before  the  Japanese  today. 

Xor  are  Koreans  lacking  in  intelligence.  They  are  mentally 
quite  the  equals  of  the  Chinese  and  the  Japanese  and  they  de- 
velop quickly  under  education.  The  helplessness  of  their  po- 
litical subjugation  to  a powerful  neighboring  nation  and  the 
hopeless  oppression  and  corruption  of  their  own  government, 
united  to  their  natural  lack  of  initiative  and  ambition  have 
given  the  world  a wrong  impression  as  to  their  real  ability. 
Every  one  conceded  that  the  best  speech  at  the  International 
Student  Conference  of  1907  in  Tokyo  was  made  by  a Korean. 
He  delivered  it  with  splendid  power  in  excellent  English  and 
then,  to  the  amazement  and  admiration  of  his  audience,  he 
delivered  it  again  in  Japanese.  Korean  children  arc  remark- 
ably bright  scholars,  as  all  missionary  teachers  testify.  Most 
of  my  visit  to  Korea  in  1901  and  a part  of  this  visit  were  spent 
among  the  country  villages  where  my  contact  with  the  natives 
was  direct  and  constant.  i\Iy  long  tour  of  Asia  enabled  me  to 
compare  the  average  Korean  with  the  average  village  types  of 
the  Chinese.  Japanese,  Filipinos,  Siamese.  East  Indians  and 
.Syrians.  While  the  Koreans  are  less  industrious  and  persist- 
ent than  the  Chinese  and  Japanese,  and  less  cleanlv  than  the 
Siamese  and  Filipinos,  they  impressed  me  as  quite  as  capable 
of  development  as  the  typical  Asiatic  elsewhere,  if  conditions 
were  equally  favorable.  Archibald  Little,  who  saw  many  of 
the  peoples  of  Asia,  not  only  wrote  of  the  superior  pliysique  of 
the  Koreans,  but  he  declared  that  “in  intelligence,  whtre  the 
opportunity  of  its  development  is  afiforded.  they  are  not  in- 
ferior to  other  races  of  Mongol  type.’’* 

Their  ancient  history  is  one  of  honorable  achievement. 
Koradadbeh.  the  Arab  geographer  of  the  ninth  century,  tells 
us  that  in  his  time  the  Koreans  made  nails,  rode  on  saddles, 
wore  satin,  and  manufactured  porcelain.  Japanese  records 
show  that  the  Japanese  themselves  first  learned  from  Koreans 
the  cultivation  of  the  silk  worm,  the  weaving  of  cloth,  the 
principles  of  architecture,  the  printing  of  books,  the  painting 
of  pictures,  the  beautifying  of  gardens,  the  making  of  leather 
harness,  and  the  shaping  of  more  effective  weapons.  Koreans 
learned  some  of  these  arts  from  the  Chinese ; but  even  so  they 
showerl  their  readiness  to  learn,  while  they  themselves  were  the 
first  makers  of  a number  of  important  articles.  Whereas  the 
Chinese  invented  the  art  of  printing  from  moveable  wooden 


• “The  P'ar  Ii/ast.”  page  247. 


67 


blocks,  the  Koreans  in  1401  invented  metal  type.  They  used  a 
phonetic  alphabet  in  the  early  part  of  the  fifteenth  century. 
They  saw  the  significance  of  the  mariner’s  compass  in  1525. 
They  invented,  in  1550,  an  astronomical  instrument  which  they 
very  properly  called  “a  heavenly  measurer.”  They  used  can- 
non, explosive  shells  and  iron-clad  ships  in  attacking  an  in- 
vading army  of  Japanese  in  1592.  Money  was  used  as  a me- 
dium of  exchange  in  Korea  long  before  it  was  thus  used  in 
northern  Europe. 

The  Koreans  of  today  have  not  improved  upon  the  inven- 
tions of  their  ancestors  ami  appear  to  have  deteriorated  rather 
than  advanced ; but  this  deterioration  has  been  largely  due  to 
conditions  wdiich  can  be  remedied,  and  as  a matter  of  fact  are 
now'  being  remedied.  A people  which  show'ed  such  intelligence 
once  can  probably  under  more  favorable  conditions  show  equal 
alertness  again.  With  good  government,  a fair  chance,  and  a 
Christian  basis  of  morals,  the  Koreans  w'ould  develop  into  a 
fine  people. 

This  view  is  supported  by  the  rapid  progress  of  Koreans  wdio 
have  settled  across  the  Yalu  in  Manchuria.  Russian  govern- 
ment is  far  from  being  ideal,  but  the  rule  of  the  Russians  prior 
to  their  expulsion  from  Manchuria  was  much  better  than  the 
rule  of  the  Korean  government.  There  were  at  lea.^t  a more 
honest  enforcement  of  law'  and  a greater  security  of  life  and 
property.  The  result  w'as  that  the  Koreans  in  Alanchuria  be- 
came comparatively  industrious,  thrifty  and  prosperous.  “The 
air  of  the  men  has  undergone  a subtle  but  real  change,  and  the 
w'omen,  though  they  nominally  keep  up  their  habit  of  seclu- 
sion, have  lost  the  hang-dog  air  which  distinguishes  them  at 
home.  The  suspiciousness  and  indolent  conceit,  and  the  ser- 
vility to  his  betters,  which  characterize  the  home-bred  Korean, 
have  very  generally  given  place  to  an  independence  and  man- 
liness of  manner  rather  British  than  Asiatic.  ...  In  Korea  I 
had  learned  to  think  of  the  Koreans  as  the  dregs  of  a race,  and 
to  regard  their  condition  as  hopeless ; but  in  Primorsk  I saw' 
reason  for  considerably  modifying  my  opinion.  It  must  be 
borne  in  mind  that  these  people,  w'ho  have  raised  themselves 
into  a prosperous  farming  class  and  w'ho  get  an  excellent  char- 
acter for  industry  and  good  conduct  alike  from  Russian  police 
officials,  Russian  settlers  and  military  officers,  were  not  excep- 
tionally industrious  and  thrifty  men.  They  were  mostly  starv- 
ing folk  W'ho  fled  from  famine,  and  their  prosperity  and  gen- 
eral demeanor  gave  me  the  hope  that  their  countrymen  in 
Korea,  if  they  ever  have  an  honest  administration  and  protec- 
tion for  their  earnings,  may  slowly  develop  into  men.”* 


* Isabella  Bird  Bishop,  “Korea  and  Her  Neighbors,”  pp.  235  and  236. 


68 


\\'eale  bears  testimony  to  the  same  ef¥ect  regarding  the  Ko- 
reans at  Harbin.  Mr.  Thomas  \"an  Ess,  Auditor  of  the  O. 
C.  Mining  Company  in  northern  Korea,  wrote  as  follows  to 
the  Rev.  Graham  Lee,  of  Pyeng  Yang: 

“Replying  to  your  letter  asking  my  opinion  of  Koreans  as 
clerks  and'accountants,  1 would  say  I have  had  Koreans  work- 
ing under  me  in  the  above  mentioned  capacities  for  the  past 
thirteen  years.  1 have  always  found  them  diligent,  good  work- 
ers and  very  quick  to  learn,  and  in  my  opinion,  taking  them  as 
a whole,  mucli  easier  to  teach  than  the  other  Oriental  races 
with  which  I have  also  had  many  years  experience.  To  cite 
an  individual  case : 1 have  with  me  now  a Korean  who  is  a 
splendid  typist,  accurate,  neat  and  a fast  manipulator, 
h'ive  3’ears  ago  he  was  only  a cook  and  spoke  very  little  Eng- 
lish. I took  him  into  the  office  as  errand  boj’  and  general  roust- 
about. He  has  never  received  any  regular  schooling  and  prac- 
tically taught  himself  to  read  and  write  English.  He  is  accu- 
rate at  figures  and  a better  t\-pist  than  some  white  men  who 
came  out  to  work  for  the  Company  from  America  as  stenograph- 
ers and  typists.  He  does  not  do  his  work  mechanically  but 
uses  his  brains.  The  Company  employs  on  the  concession 
about  five  thousand  Koreans,  and  the  heads  of  the  different 
departments  can  all  certify  and  produce  dozen  of  natives  whom 
they  have  taught  from  the  very  start,  and  who  are  now  ex- 
perts at  their  various  duties,  which  duties  include  work  as 
miners,  timhermen,  hoist  and  stationary  engineers,  machinists, 
blacksmiths,  carpenters,  electricians,  assayers,  mill  men,  hos- 
pital assistants,  etc.  All  that  is  necessary,  to  bring  out  tbe 
splendid  capabilities  of  the  Korean  is  a practical  education.” 

IMy  heart  goes  out  with  affectionate  interest  to  those  humble 
Koreans  as  I recall  tbe  kindness  of  their  welcome  to  the  stran- 
gers from  across  the  seas,  the  mingled  simplicity  and  dignity 
of  their  bearing,  and  the  poverty  and  wretchedness  of  their 
lives.  The}'  are  our  brother  men,  who  have  been  less  fortu- 
nately situated  than  ourselves,  and  they  need  what  we  can  give 
them. 

The  countr}’  is  now  in  commotion.  The  time  honored  pla- 
cidity which  made  the  name  “The  Land  of  the  Morning  Calm” 
eminently  appropriate  has  been  rudely  disturbed.  Korea  is  no 
longer  “the  Hermit  Nation.”  Its  capital  is  only  fifty-three 
hours  by  railway  from  rhe  capital  of  Japan.  Society  is  in 
chaos.  .\li  the  old  conceptions  of  life  are  being  broken  up. 
Whatever  restraints  the  old  order  had  are  being  removed. 
Gambling  is  an  old  established  vice  in  Korea,  but  it  is  now 
worse  than  ever.  New  conditions  are  being  created;  new  hab- 
its are  being  formed ; new  ideas  are  rushing  in.  When  I was  in 


69 


Korea  nine  years  ago,  the  top-knot  was  universal.  I do  not 
recall  seeing  a Korean  from  one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other 
who  did  not  have  his  hair  done  up  in  the  traditional  way.  A 
Korean  without  a top-knot  at  that  time  would  have  been 
deemed  a renegade.  But  during  this  visit,  multitudes 
of  Koreans  that  1 saw  had  cut  off  their  top-knots  and  were 
wearing  their  hair  European  fashion,  or  perhaps  I had  better 
say,  Japanese  fashion,  for  the  Japanese  cut  their  hair  short  and 
comb  it  straight  up  in  pompadour  style.  Practically  all  of  the 
boys  in  the  mission  schools  now  wear  their  hair  in  this  style,  and 
also  a large  majority  of  Christian  adults.  It  would  be  difficult 
to  overestimate  the  significance  of  this  apparently  simple 
change,  for  the  top-knot  stood  for  loyalty  to  ancient  traditions 
and  almost  everything  that  the  Korean  venerated.  It  was  the 
tie  which  bound  him  to  the  past.  Its  passing  means  nothing 
less  than  the  passing  of  the  old  Korea. 

W hile  this  and  other  changes  are  due  in  part  to  the  causes 
which  have  brought  about  the  general  movement  among  the 
peoples  of  Asia,  the  specific  external  force  which  has  suddenly 
been  applied  is  the  Japanese  occupation,  which  we  must  now 
consider. 


THE  JAPANESE  IN  KOREA. 

I have  already  referred  to  the  fact  that  the  domination  of 
some  foreign  power  was  inevitable,  and  that  the  Koreans  would 
probably  have  been  more  willing  to  acquiesce  if  that  power  had 
been  some  other  than  Japan.  The  two  nations  have  been  her- 
editary enemies  for  a thousand  years.  Japanese  invasions  have 
been  numerous  and  the  one  in  1276  so  terribly  devastated  the 
country  that  Korea  has  been  a wretched  and  dilapidated  nation 
ever  since.  Then  the  sufferings  of  the  people  were  severe 
during  the  China-Japan  War  of  1894  and  the  Russia-Japan 
War  in  1905,  and  as  the  Japanese  were  the  victors  in  both 
wars,  they  are  naturally  held  responsible  for  the  ruin  which 
followed.  The  Japanese,  too,  are  not  particularly  conciliatory 
in  their  dealings  with  the  Koreans.  They  have  long  regarded 
them  as  inferiors.  They  have  not  taken  the  pains  that  the 
Russians  toolc  to  cajole  the  natives,  to  keep  the  Emperor  sup- 
plied with  money,  and  to  conciliate  popular  good  will.  They 
manage  the  Koreans  with  the  brusqueness  of  the  Anglo-Sax- 
on rather  than  the  suavity  of  the  Oriental ; ignore  “face”  which 
£very  Korean  sensitively  cherishes ; and  in  general  deal 
with  the  Koreans  about  as  Americans  deal  with  the  North 
American  Indians,  and  as  the  British  deal  with  their  subject 
populations.  The  Anglo-Saxon  is  therefore  hardly  the  per- 
son to  criticise  the  Japanese. 


70 


Unfortunately,  too,  the  first  Japanese  whom  the  Koreans 
saw  in  numbers  were  soldiers  and  adventurers.  The  army 
necessarily  occupied  the  country  during  the  war  and  for  some 
time  after  its  close.  ^Military  rule  is  strict  everywhere.  It  has 
to  be  in  the  more  or  less  lawless  conditions  which  follow  a 
war ; but  it  is  none  the  less  galling  to  civilians.  \\’e  know  how 
Filipinos  and  Americans  alike  chafed  under  the  rule  of  the 
United  States  army  in  the  Philippines  notwithstanding  the  fact 
that  our  generals  were  men  of  the  highest  efficiency  and  recti- 
tude of  intention.  The  Japanese  soldiers  in  Korea  immediately 
after  the  war  were  those  who  had  fought  in  the  campaigns  with 
Russia.  Tl'.ey  regarded  Korea  as  the  prize  of  the  war.  and  in 
spite  of  Japanese  discipline,  they  had  something  of  that  spirit 
of  exhilaration  and  lawlessness  which  has  alwa3'S  characterized 
soldiers  after  a victorious  campaign.  White  men  who  remem- 
ber the  conduct  of  European  and  American  troops  in  Peking, 
after  the  raising  of  the  siege  of  the  legations  in  the  summer  of 
1900,  will  not  be  surprised  that  there  was  something  of  the 
same  disposition  on  the  part  of  Japanese  troops  in  Korea.  Dur- 
ing the  period  of  military  occupation  there  were  un- 
doubtedly many  cases  of  brutalit}’,  and  the  enterprises  which 
were  necessar\-  to  strengthen  Japanese  occupation  were  carried 
out  with  scant  regard  for  the  people. 

The  Japanese  civilian  immigrants,  too,  who  poured  into 
Korea  immediately  after  the  war,  were  not  the  best  type  of 
Japanese.  Americans  know  the  breed — their  own  countrymen 
who  rushed  into  California  in  1849,  "’fio  did  their  ruthless 
pleasure  in  Alaska,  and  who  furnished  the  carpet-baggers  of 
the  Southern  States  after  the  American  Civil  War.  Our  usu- 
ally good-natured  Mr.  Taft  characterized  many  of  the  disso- 
lute, brutal  and  lustful  Americans  whom  he  found  in  the  Phil- 
ippines, when  he  became  Governor  General,  with  a sharpness 
of  invective  which  made  them  his  bitter  enemies.  He  said  that 
they  were  the  worst  obstacle  to  America's  purpose  to  deal  just- 
ly with  the  Filipinos.  Is  it  surprising  that  the  same  class  of 
Japanese  hurried  to  Korea,  and  that  they  rode  rough  shod  over 
the  helpless  natives? 

We  must  remember,  in  justice  to  the  Japanese,  that  some  of 
the  things  which  gave  offense  to  the  Koreans  were  inevitable. 
It  is  not  possible  for  a conquering  army  in  time  of  war  to 
sweep  through  a country  and  not  incur  the  fear  and  hatred  of 
the  native  population,  and  Japan  had  to  do  this  twice  within  a* 
decade.  Moreover,  when  the  Japanese  took  control  of  Korea, 
they  found  one  of  the  most  rotten  and  inefficient  governments 
on  earth.  It  would  not  be  easy  to  exaggerate  the  e.xtremity  of 
the  situation.  Save  for  the  few  improvements  which  had  been 


71 


developed  by  foreigners,  there  were  no  roads,  no  railways,  no 
telegraphs,  no  schools  worthy  of  the  name,  no  justice  in  the 
courts,  no  uniform  currency,  no  anything  that  a people  need. 
The  Japanese  had  to  create  the  conditions  of  stable  govern- 
ment, and  to  do  this  against  the  opposition  of  the  corrupt  ruling 
class  and  the  inherited  inertia  and  squalor  of  the  people  as  a 
whole.  Of  course,  the  Koreans  w'ere  furiously  angry.  Even 
those  who  realized  the  necessity  for  the  change  were  bitter,  for 
no  people  like  to  be  ruled  by  aliens. 

The  common  charges  of  forced  labor  and  the  seizure  of 
property  without  due  compensation  have  two  sides.  There 
have  no  doubt  been  instances  of  great  hardship  to  Koreans  who 
were  compelled  to  leave  their  own  fields  and  toil  on  public 
works,  often  at  a distance  from  their  homes,  while  other  Ko- 
reans received  little  or  nothing  for  land  which  they  were  forced 
to  surrender.  On  the  other  hand,  it  should  be  remembered  that 
it  would  have  been  difficult  if  not  impossible  for  the  Japanese 
authorities  to  carry  out  some  of  the  improvements  which  are 
of  large  value  to  the  whole  country,  such  as  roads,  railways, 
sanitation,  etc.,  if  they  had  been  obliged  to  depend  upon  the 
voluntary  labor  of  Korean  peasants,  who  are  admitted  by  their 
warmest  admirers  to  be  indolent  and  shiftless  and  who,  even 
when  diligent  and  ambitious,  do  not  like  Japanese  ta.'kmasters. 
As  for  land,  every  government  has  the  right  to  take  private 
property  under  the  privilege  of  eminent  domain.  It  ought  to 
pay  a fair  price  for  it.  The  Japanese  affirm  that  they  did  this, 
but  that  the  Korean  magistrates,  through  whom  the  arrange- 
ments were  made,  pocketed  the  money.  But  why  did  the  Jap- 
anese trust  them  when  they  knew  their  character? 

While  the  course  of  the  Japanese  is  generally  exemplary  in 
regions  where  officers  of  high  rank  are  in  immediate  charge 
and  where  foreigners  have  opportunity  to  notice  what  is  being 
done,  the  treatment  of  Koreans  by  officials  of  lower  grade  in 
places  remote  from  the  capital  is  not  always  so  just.  Inferior 
men,  far  from  the  observation  of  their  superiors,  aie  able  to 
indulge  their  temper  with  little  fear  of  consequences.  Doubt- 
less some  of  the  many  stories  of  injustice  are  susceptible  of  ex- 
planation ; but  the  reports  are  too  numerous  and  explicit  to  be 
dismissed  as  altogether  baseless.  We  know  what  white  men 
do  when  they  are  placed  in  absolute  control  of  a helpless  peo- 
ple. The  Belgians  in  the  Congo  State,  the  French  in  Mada- 
gascar, and  hundreds  of  German,  British  and  American  officials 
in  other  places,  have  been  harsh  and  overbearing,  and  it  is 
not  surprising  that  some  Japanese  officials  show  the  same  traits 
in  like  circumstances. 


72 


The  sale  of  opium  and  morphine  is  another  grievance.  This 
is  contrary  to  Japanese  law;  but  it  is  conducted  more  or  less 
openly  by  Japanese,  particularly  in  the  country  districts,  where 
peddlers  are  spreading  the  morphine  and  opium  habit  among 
multitudes  of  Koreans.  The  Japanese  strictly  enforce  their 
law  in  Japan,  and  Japanese  magistrates  in  Korea  will  usually 
punish  the  traffickers,  if  a case  is  brought  so  directly  to  their 
notice  that  they  cannot  escape  responsibility ; but  the\  will  sel- 
dom press  matters  unless  compelled  to  do  so.  and  the  effort  to 
make  them  is  apt  to  be  unpleasant.  Thou.sands  of  Koreans  are  ^ 
learning  the  use  of  the  morphine  .syringe  from  these  Japanese 
vendors,  and  as  they  are  like  children  in  the  indulgence  of  their 
appetites,  as  umsophisticated  as  North  American  Indians  are 
with  liquor,  the  evil  has  grown  to  serious  proportions.  Every 
hospital  in  Korea  now  has  to  treat  opium  and  morphine  fiends. 
Opium-smokmg  has  long  been  a vice  in  China  and  the  Chinese 
have  used  opium  in  Korea ; but  the  evil  has  never  been  so  great 
as  it  is  now.  Protests  of  missionaries  are  beginning  to  make 
some  impression,  but  the  demoralization  of  Koreans  continues. 

The  social  evil  is  still  more  demoralizing.  The  immoral  con- 
ditions in  Japan  have  long  been  notorious.  Although  some  im- 
provement is  ob.servable,  licentiou.sness  is  still  regarded  by 
many  as  a venial  offense  and  it  involves  less  reproach  both  to 
men  and  women  than  in  any  other  country  in  the  world  which 
lays  claim  to  civilized  standing.  The  .statement  of  H.  B.  Mont- 
gomery in  his  book,  ‘‘The  Empire  of  the  East."  that  he  has  ‘‘no 
liesitation  in  describing  the  morals  of  Japanese  people  to  be  on 
the  whole  greatly  superior  to  those  of  Western  nations,”  is  sim- 
]3ly  pathetic.  A man  who  can  visit  Japan  and  carry  away  such 
an  impression  is  beyond  argument.  Murphy’s  “The  Social  Evil 
in  Japan"  describes  the  true  situation  with  startling  clearness. 

It  is  not  surprising  that  the  Japane.se  have  carried  their  habits 
to  Korea.  The  tendency  of  men  of  all  races  to  be  more  unre- 
strained abroad  than  at  home  is  not  lacking  in  the  Japanese, 
and  the  result  is  a carnival  of  vice  such  as  Korea  never  knew 
before.  The  Koreans  are  not  particularly  moral,  but  they  at 
least  left  sensuality  to  individuals  who  wanted  .it,  and  regarded 
brothels  as  places  to  be  kept  from  public  gaze.  But  the  Japan- 
ese have  licensed  houses  of  prostitution  in  Korea  as  they  have 
built  court  houses  and  railway  stations.  Wherever  they  locate 
their  colonies,  they  set  apart  a section  for  brothels.  Handsome 
buildings  are  erected  and  filled  with  music  and  electric  lights, 
so  that  the  whole  place  becomes  one  of  the  most  attractive  in 
the  city.  Xor  do  they  select  retired  locations.  The  most  con- 
spicuous part  of  Seoul  in  the  evening  is  the  brilliantiv  illumin- 
ated “Yoshiwara."  It  is  on  a hill  slope  within  view  of  the 


73 


whole  city.  Every  boy  and  girl  in  onr  two  boarding  schools 
can  see  it.  Every  youth  of  both  se.xes  in  Seoul  cannot  help 
knowing  that  it  is  there  and  that  it  is  thronged  nightly  by  men 
who  consider  themselves  respectable. 

Conditions  substantially  similar,  ' though  of  course  on  a 
smaller  scale,  exist  in  practically  every  Japanese  colony  in 
Korea  and  Manchuria.  Even  where  the  number  of  Japanese 
is  very  small,  it  includes  prostitutes.  Nor  is  the  evil  confined 
to  segregated  sections.  Geisha  (dancing  girls)  are  scattered 
about  every  considerable  town,  and  waitresses  in  most  of  the 
inns  and  restaurants  as  well  as  the  drinking  sho])s  are  well 
understood  to  be  prostitutes.  That  the  authorities  know  this 
is  apparent  from  the  following  figures,  which  were  obtained 
from  ofificial  sources  for  the  year  ending  December  31,  1Q08: 


Seoul.  Japanese  population,  27,000. 

Prostitutes,  Japanese  283 

Geisha  (Dancing  Girls),  Japanese  196 

Waitresses  in  inns,  saloons  and  restaurants,  Japanese.  ..  401 


Total  880 

Pyeng  Yang.  Japanese  population,  7,292. 

Prostitutes,  Japanese  75 

Geisha,  Japanese  35 

Waitresses,  Japanese 105 


Total  215 


The  official  records  also  show  that  there  is  a monthly  gov- 
ernment tax  collected  from  the  prostitutes  and  geisha,  the  tax 
for  Pyeng  Vang  alone  being  462  yen  a month.  The  number  of 
Korean  prostitutes  reported  by  the  authorities  in  Seoul  is  304, 
and  of  Kisang  (dancing  girls),  107,  a total  of  41 1.  That  is, 
there  are  more  than  twice  as  many  immoral  women  among  a 
Japanese  colony  of  27,000  as  there  are  in  a Korean  population 
of  300,000 ; though  it  should  be  said  that  the  very  publicity 
with  which  the  Japanese  indulge  themselves  makes  it  easier  to 
tabulate  their  statistics  than  those  of  the  Koreans,  who  are 
more  secretive  in  their  habits.  Racial  distinctions  are  obliter- 
ated by  this  social  evil.  Koreans  are  not  only  openly  solicited 
to  vice,  but  I was  informed  that  it  is  not  uncommon  for  Jap- 
anese to  conduct  small  traveling  parties  of  prostitutes  from  vil- 
lage to  village  in  the  country  districts. 

Much  has  been  said  about  the  demoralizing  effects  of  sensual 
indulgence  upon  the  Japanese.  \'enereal  diseases  entail  .seri- 
ous physical  as  well  as  moral  consequences.  Of  every  one 
hundred  men  who  are  examined  for  enlistment  in  the  army. 


74 


I was  told  that  sixty  have  to  be  rejected  and  that  seventy  per 
cent,  of  these  are  on  account  of  syphillis.  But  it  is  the  influence 
of  this  vice  upon  Koreans  that  I am  discussing  now  and  the 
gruesome  subject  surely  needs  no  further  elucidation  here. 

I am  not  unmindful  that  there  is  shameful  immorality  in  the 
cities  of  Europe  and  xA.merica,  and  that  most  of  the  foreign  con- 
cessions in  the  ports  of  Asia  include  sinks  of  iniquitv  of  which 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah  might  have  been  ashamed.  I\o  Asiatic 
can  be  viler  than  a degenerate  white  man.  Xor  is  Japan  alone 
in  licensing  prostitutes.  There  are  men  in  western  lands  who 
deem  governmental  regulation  under  a license  system  a better 
way  of  dealing  with  the  social  evil  than  to  permit  it  to  run  at 
large  under  prohibitory  laws  which  are  usually  a dead  letter, 
except  as  police  use  them  as  a means  for  self-enrichment.  Japan 
has  but  followed  the  lead  of  Germany  in  licensing  a vice  which 
no  government  has  ever  eradicated.  But  whatever  may  be  the 
theory,  the  practical  effect  in  Japan  is  to  advertise  vice,  make 
it  easy  and  attractive,  and  clothe  it  with  apparent  official  sanc- 
tion. \’erv  few  governments  with  which  I am  acquainted  are 
in  such  open  alliance  with  vice  as  the  Japanese  municipal  gov- 
ernments appear  to  be,  and  no  brothel  in  all  the  world,  displays 
Christian  symbols  or  is  regularly  visited  by  Christian  ministers 
for  the  collection  of  money  for  religious  objects  and  for  the 
offering  of  prayers  for  the  prosperit}’  of  its  infamous  business, 
as  Japanese  brothels  are  frequently  visited  for  these  purposes 
bv  Buddhist  priests. 

1 am  sorry  to  write  so  plainly  on  this  unpleasant  subject  re- 
garding a people  whom  I respect  and  admire  in  many  ways.  I 
am  glad  to  know  that  increasing  numbers  of  Japanese  lament 
the  quasi  partnership  of  their  authorities  with  the  social  evil 
and  would  gladly  see  it  dis.solved  and  the  vice  banished,  at  least 
to  the  under-world  to  which  other  communities  relegate  it.  I 
am  aware,  too,  that  some  remedial  laws  have  been  enacted  in 
Japan,  and  that  some  restrictive  decisions  have  been  handed 
down  by  the  courts.  But  these  laws  and  decisions  were  obtain- 
ed chiefly  as  the  result  of  agitation  aroused  by  missionaries  led 
by  iMr.  Mur])hy  and  the  Salvation  Army  against  an  indifference 
and  opposition  which  i\Ir.  Murphy  has  vividly  described  in  his 
book  already  mentioned.  The  benefit  of  these  enactments  and 
decrees  in  Japan  has  not  extended  to  Korea  to  any  a])preciable 
degree.  Judging  from  what  1 could  see  and  learn,  many  Japan- 
ese do  not  vet  have  much  conscience  on  the  subject.  They  are 
unmoral  rather  than  immoral,  and  they  frequently  stare  with 
ill-concealed  surprise  when  they  are  told  that  the  common 
licentiousness  is  wrong.  One  wa}’  to  make  them  see  that  it  is 
wrong  is  for  every  one  who  visits  their  country  and  its  depend- 


75 


encies  to  make  it  clear  that  the  public  opinion  of  civilized  man- 
kind condemns  vice,  and  that  those  who  indulge  in  it  are  not 
respected. 

The  establishment  of  civil  rule  under  Prince  Ito  as  Resident- 
General  inaugurated  a better  era  than  the  one  which  followed 
the  war.  I do  not  agree  with  those  who  reviled  him  as  the  arch- 
enemy of  Korea  and  the  most  dangerous  foe  of  China.  Grant- 
ing that  he  was  an  Oriental,  that  Ire  was  Japanese  to  the  core, 
and  that  his  private  morals  were  criticised  even  by  his  own 
countrymen,  the  fact  remains  that  he  was  in  many  respects  one 
of  the  very  wisest  and  best  of  the  public  men  of  Japan,  and 
that  he  had  the  largest  and  most  considerate  views  of  the  Ko- 
reans and  of  the  duty  of  his  country  to  them  of  any  Japanese 
in  high  public  position.  If  Korea  is  to  be  ruled  by  Japan  at 
all,  its  friends  could  not  have  selected  a better  Japanese  as 
Resident-General  than  Prince  Ito.  I found  a general  opinion, 
not  only  among  Japanese  but  among  missionaries  and  others 
with  whom  I talked,  that  on  the  whole  he  was  a firm  and  just 
administrator,  who  earnestly  tried  to  better  conditions.  He 
had  the  statesmanship  to  see  that,  from  the  viewpoint  of  Japan 
herself,  it  was  expedient  to  deal  justly  with  a subject  people. 
He  placed  a higher  class  of  men  in  public  office,  enacted  whole- 
some laws,  made  roads,  encouraged  education,  reorganized  the 
courts,  placed  the  currency  on  a gold  basis,  and  promoted  other 
salutary  reforms.  Fifty  million  yen  have  been  spent  on  rail- 
ways. The  lines  were  operated  at  a loss  at  first,  as  they  were 
largely  useu  for  the  transport  of  troops  and  military  supplies ; 
but  they  now  return  a fair  profit,  the  net  balance  last  year  being 
316.544  yen. 

Prince  Ito’s  published  report  on  “Reforms  and  Progress  in 
Korea”  is  very  interesting  reading.  After  an  explanatory  in 
troduction,  it  discusses  the  main  subject  under  twelve  heads; 
.■\dministration.  Judiciary,  Defence,  Finance.  Currency,  Bank- 
ing, Commerce.  Communications,  Public  Undertakings,  Agri- 
cultural aiul  Industrial,  Sanitation,  and  Education.  Eleven  ap- 
pendices, as  many  more  tables  of  statistics,  three  maps  and  five 
full  page  illustrations  make  this  report  a valuable  compendium 
of  Japanese  efforts  and  intentions  in  Korea.  The  Japanese, 
like  Americans,  naturally  put  their  best  foot  forward  in  a report 
issued  for  the  outside  world.  The  main  facts,  however,  ap- 
pear to  be  indisputable. 

I had  a long  conference  with  Prince  Ito  when  I was  in 
Tokyo.  I shall  not  now  attempt  to  give  a full  account  of  that 
conversation.  While  it  was  private,  he  knew  that  I was  seeking 
information  for  public  use  and  gave  me  full  liberty  to  quote 
him.  He  spoke  excellent  English  and  discussed  the  whole 


76 


question  of  Japanese  plans  in  Korea  with  every  appearance  of 
candor.  He  freely  admitted  that  mistakes  had  been  made  and 
he  lamented  that  many  of  the  Japanese  who  at  first  went  to 
Korea  did  some  regrettable  things ; but  he  earnestly  expressed 
his  desire  to  make  his  country's  rule  in  Korea  a real  benefit  to 
a peo])le  who.  he  deeply  felt,  had  never  had  a fair  chance.  The 
fanatic  Indian  Angan,  who  assassinated  him  at  Harbin,  Octo- 
ber 26th,  did  the  worst  possible  thing  for  Korea,  for  he  mur- 
dered the  most  powerful  friend  that  his  countrymen  had  among 
the  ruling  Japanese.  It  is  significant  that  the  only  enemies  that 
Prince  Ito  b.ad  in  Japan  were  of  the  party  which  favors  a more 
drastic  policy  in  Korea.  This  party  felt  that  Korea  was.  the 
absolute  projierty  of  Japan,  that  its  prompt  “Japanization”  was 
a military  necessity,  and  that  its  people  were  .so  hopelessly  and 
contemptibly  inferior  and  incorrigible  that  as  little  attention 
should  be  paid  to  their  alleged  rights  as  the  United  States  paid 
to  the  rights  of  the  American  Indians.  Prince  Ito.  on  the  con 
trary.  held  that  the  Koreans  were  capable  of  development,  and 
that  it  would  not  only  be  humane  but  to  the  advantage  of  Japan 
to  treat  them  fairly.  The  revolutionarv  cabal  in  Manchuria 
and  California  which  planned  and  executed  the  foul  murder 
of  Prince  Ito  therefore  weakened  their  own  ca.se  and  strength- 
ened the  hands  of  their  enemies.  What  encouragement  has  any 
Japane.se  official  to  attempt  to  deal  justly  bv  the  Koreans  if  he 
is  in  dange’*  of  being  as.sassinated  for  his  pains?  P'crtunately, 
intelligent  Japanese  know  that  the  crime  was  that  of  a com- 
paratively small  number  of  reactionaries.  The  majoiity  of  the 
people  of  Korea  do  not  love  their  alien  rulers,  but  they  are  not 
disposed  to  shoot  those  who  seek  to  deal  fairly  by  them. 

Prince  Ito's  successor  is  continuing  the  work  on  the  lines 
iir’icated  by  his  distinguished  predecessor.  Seoul,  once  the 
filthiest  city  imaginable,  has  been  made  fairly  clean.  A large 
and  admirably  equipped  public  ho,si)ital  treats  Koreans  at  lower 
rates  than  Japanese.  During  a call  at  the  Resiflency-General. 
I exi)ressed  my  interest  in  a rumor  that  other  hospitals  were  in 
contemi)lation.  and  that  evening  I received  a courteous  note 
from  Mr.  M.  Komatsu,  stating  that  he  had  made  inquiries  at 
the  P)ureau  in  charge  and  had  ascertained  that  the  Government 
intended  to  open  charity  hospitals  before  the  end  of  the  year 
m Chung  Ju.  Chon  Ju  and  Ham  Heung.  and  that  it  is  the  plan 
of  the  Government  to  open  a similar  hospital  in  the  principal 
city  of  each  Province  of  Korea. 

I was  told  on  every  side  that  conditions  are  steadily  improv- 
ing. The  enlistment  terms  of  the  soldiers  who  fought  in  the 
war  have  expired  and  most  of  the  men  have  returned  to  Japan. 
The  adventurers  who  flocked  in  at  the  close  of  the  war,  finding 


77 


present  comlitions  less  favorable  to  them,  are  also  going  back 
to  their  native  land,  and  the  Japanese  who  are  coming  now  are 
of  a distinctly  better  class.  The  lot  of  the  people  is  better  in 
many  ways  than  formerly.  Their  alien  masters  arc,  as  a rule, 
more  just  with  them  than  the  native  officials  were  prior  to  Jap- 
anese occupation.  The  average  man  is  more  apt  to  get  justice 
in  the  courts  without  bribing  an  official  than  he  was  when  his 
own  magistrate  judged  his  case. 

The  Japanese  officials  whom  I personall}'  met  In  Seoul, 
Taiku  and  Pyeng  Yang  impressed  me  as  men  of  high  grade, 
who  compare  favorably  with  many  white  colonial  administrators 
m similar  positions  in  Asia.  Judge  Xoboru  W'atanabe,  Chief 
Justice  of  Korea,  is  a Presbyterian  elder,  a Christian  gentle- 
ma’n  of  as  fine  a tvpc  as  one  could  find  anywhere.  He  makes 
no  secret  of  his  faith,  and  shortly  after  his  arrival  in  Seoul,  he 
accepted  Dr.  Gale's  invitation  to  speak  to  our  large  Korean 
congregation  at  Yun  Mot  Kol.  He  took  as  his  text  Eph.  4:4-6. 
and  preached  Christ  with  earnestness  and  power. 

My  interview  with  the  Japanese  Resident  at  Taiku,  Septem- 
ber 19th  developed  some  interesting  facts.  I found  the  Resident 
an  intelligent  Japanese  of  about  fiftv  years  of  age,  who  had  vis- 
ited the  United  States  and  spoke  English  fluently.  He  receiv- 
ed me  cordiallv  and  described  with  enthusiasm  a plan  of  having 
the  Korean  magistrates  of  the  forty-one  counties  under  his 
iurisdiction  come  to  Taiku  once  a year  for  special  instruction. 
He  said  that  little  could  be  accomplished  by  the  mere  promulga- 
tion of  laws  and  ordinances ; for  while  many  of  the  Korean  offi- 
cials were  well-meaning  men,  they  were  without  the  knowledge 
and  experience  which  would  enable  them  to  carry  out  the  re- 
forms which  the  Japanese  had  inaugurated.  He  stated  that  the 
second  annual  conference  of  this  kind  was  then  in  session  and 
that  he  would  be  glad  to  have  me  visit  it.  I replied  that  it 
would  be  very  gratifying  to  me  to  do  so.  and  he  thereupon  took 
me  to  the  conference.  It  was  held  in  a long,  low  room,  well 
lighted  and  ventilated.  The  Korean  magistrates  were  seated  at 
two  parallel  tables  extending  the  full  length  of  the  room.  The 
name  and  residence  of  each  magistrate  were  on  a .strip  of  paper 
about  six  inches  wide  and  fifteen  inches  long  hanging  from  the 
edge  of  the  table  in  front  of  him.  The  Japanese  Resident,  the 
Korean  Governor,  a Japanese  Secretary,  an  interpreter  and 
six  Japanese  clerks  occupied  seats  at  the  head  of  the  room.  The 
Korean  Governor  was  President  of  the  Conference,  though  it 
was  evident  that  leadership  was  with  the  Japanese  Secretary. 
•\t  the  first  conference  the  year  before,  twenty-nine  of  the 
forty-one  county  magistrates  were  present,  and  all  but  three 
wore  the  traditional  top-knot.  This  year  forty  of  the  forty-one 


78 


magistrates  attended,  and  not  one  wore  a top-knot,  all  having 
their  hair  cut  in  Japanese  style.  The  magistrates  manifested 
keen  interest  in  the  proceedings  and  discussed  with  animation 
the  various  topics.  Thev  were  apparently  learning  some  useful 
things.  The  Japanese  Resident  gave  me  a copy  of  the  printed 
program  and  the  rules  and  the  regulations  which  were  being 
taught.  It  was  an  octavo  pamphlet  of  twenty-two  l>ages.  and 
dealt  with  such  subjects  as  the  making  and  repairing  of  roads, 
the  erection  and  care  of  public  buildings,  the  clerical  staff  re- 
quired in  offices  of  various  grades,  sanitary  rules  and  their  en- 
forcement, police  regulations,  etc.  Sample  reports  and  vouch- 
ers were  given  and  methods  of  keeping  accounts  were  explain- 
ed. The  conference  was  in  session  eight  days,  and  I could 
readily  see  how  such  instruction  would  increase  the  intelligence 
and  efficiency  of  the  magistrates  who  attended  it.  Koreans  who 
accept  office  under  the  Japanese  are  not  usually  popular  with 
their  countrymen,  but  these  Koreans  will  certainly  be  wiser 
magistrates  than  their  predecessors. 

I hold  no  brief  for  the  Japanese.  I would  not  defend  some 
of  the  things  that  they  have  done  in  Korea.  I sympathize  deep- 
ly with  the  Koreans.  They  would  be  unwortby  of  respect  if 
they  did  not  prefer  their  national  freedom.  One  can  under- 
stand why  the  injustice  of  their  own  magistrates  seemed  less 
irksome  than  the  justice  of  alien  conquerors.  Nevertheless,  I 
confess  to  sympathy  also  for  the  Japanese.  They  were  forced 
to  occupy  Korea  to  prevent  a Russian  occupation  which  would 
have  menaced  their  own  independence  as  a nation.  They  found 
conditions  so  unspeakably  bad  that  drastic  measures  of  recon- 
struction were  necessary.  They  are  doing  against  heavy  odds, 
with  limited  financial  resources  and  against  the  dislike  and 
opposition  of  Koreans.  Russians,  Chinese  and  most  of  the 
foreigners  in  the  Far  East,  about  what  England  or  the  United 
.States  would  <^o  in  similar  circumstances.  It  would  be  easy  to 
show  that  the  Japanese  are  not  doing  as  well  as  England  is  do- 
ing in  India  and  America  in  the  Philippines;  but  they  have  had 
control  of  Korea  less  than  five  years,  and  they  have  not  had 
the  advantages  which  white  men  have  had  in  dealing  with  these 
large  and  difficult  problems.  Give  them  a chance.  We  shall 
not  help  the  Koreans  by  reviling  the  Japanese,  but  by  co-oper- 
ating with  them.  The  anti-imperialists  are  simply  aggravating 
our  situation  in  the  Philippines,  and  the  alleged  friends  of  the 
East  Indians  who  are  fomenting  discord  in  India  are  only  in- 
tensifying the  very  conditions  which  they  profess  to  lament. 
Japan  is  in  Korea  to  stay,  and  we  can  not  aid  the  Koreans  by 
cursing  their  rulers. 


79 


The  Japanese  Government  both  in  Japan  and  Korea  is 
friendly  to  our  missionaries  and  their  work.  Numerous  evi- 
dences of  this  might  be  cited.  One  of  the  most  striking  of  these 
was  the  address  of  Count  Okuma,  former  Prime  Minister  of 
Japan,  at  the  Semi-Centennial  of  Protestant  Missions  in  Japan 
held  in  Tokyo  last  fall,  and  which  I have  quoted  elsewhere. 

The  attitude  of  high  Japanese  officials  in  Korea  is  in  sub- 
stantial harmony  with  this.  A noticeable  change  has  taken  place 
within  the  last  year.  Formerly,  there  was  considerable 
irritation  because  of  the  alleged  anti-Japanese  attitude  of  Pro- 
testant missionaries.  Several  well  informed  foreigners  in  Ja- 
pan and  some  travellers  who  came  into  special  relations  with 
Japanese  officials  reported  that,  for  a time  after  the  war,  the 
Japanese  felt  that  American  missionaries  in  Korea  were  inimi- 
cal to  their  interests  and  that  more  or  less  unconsciously  they 
were  giving  such  encouragement  to  the  Koreans  as  to  embar- 
rass the  Japanese  in  no  small  degree.  I was  informed  in  Japan 
that  there  is  still  some  of  this  feeling  on  the  part  of  some  civil 
and  military  officials. 

I was  at  pains  to  discuss  this  question  fully  with  Prince  Ito, 
and  also  with  several  high  Japanese  officials  whom  I met  in 
Korea.  Without  exception,  they  stated  that,  whatever  may 
have  been  the  case  during  the  heated  days  which  followed  the 
war.  when  lines  were  sharply  drawn  and  everyone  was  under 
great  strain,  the  Japanese  are  now  satisfied  that  the  American 
missionaries  in  Korea  are  careful  to  keep  themselves  free  from 
political  entanglements.  There  are  sensational  journals  in  Ja- 
pan, as  there  are  in  America,  and  inflammatory  articles  which 
occasionally  appear  in  them  are  repeated  in  our  home  papers ; 
but  intelligent  Japanese  are  not  deceived  by  them.  In  all  my 
interviews  with  Japanese,  both  in  Japan  and  Korea,  I heard 
only  two  American  missionaries  (a  husband  and  wife)  men- 
tioned with  suspicion,  and  their  alleged  utterances  were  several 
years  ago,  and  their  present  relations  with  the  Japanese  are 
harmonious.  A Korean  official.  Sung  Pyong-chun,  Minister 
for  Home  Afifairs  in  the  Korean  Government,  was  reported  last 
year  by  a Tokyo  paper  as  having  made  the  following  statement, 
which  was  widely  reprinted  in  the  Far  East  and  in  America: 

“The  most  serious  question  now  before  us  relates  to  the  na- 
tive Christians,  numbering  about  350,000,  whose  affiliations  are 
of  a questionable  nature.  They  are  united  in  the  common  ob- 
ject of  opposing  the  present  administration  and  resort  to  under- 
hand measures.  I am  going  to  adopt  drastic  steps  to  annihilate 
them  as  soon  as  they  take  up  arms  in  insurrection.  Of  course 
they  are  backed  by  a group  of  American  missionaries.  It  is 
F 


8o 


likely  that  this  will  become  one  of  the  most  important  ques- 
tions in  Korea." 

The  missionaries  in  Seoul  promptly  held  a meeting  and  com- 
municated with  Mr.  Sung  on  the  subject  of  this  reported  utter- 
ance. He  replied  that  he  had  not  made  the  statement  attributed 
to  him.  The  honorable  Thomas  J.  O'Brien,  American  Ambas- 
sador to  Japan,  addressed  a communication  to  Prince  Ito  on  the 
matter,  and  asked  him  to  state  whether  he  had  any  reason  to 
believe  that  the  statements  attributed  to  Mr.  Sung  regarding  the 
attitude  of  American  missionaries  were  correct.  The  following 
is  an  extract  from  Prince  Ito's  reply  to  Mr.  O’Brien ; 

“During  the  Korean  Emperor's  recent  trip  to  the  northern 
and  southern  parts  of  Korea.  I met  a number  of  missionaries  at 
Pyeng  Yang,  where  many  of  them  reside,  and  had  an  oppor- 
tunity to  ascertain  that  they  not  only  take  no  steps  whatever  in 
opposition  to  the  administration  of  the  Korean  Government, 
but  that  they  are  in  sympathy  with  the  new  regime  inaugurated 
after  the  establishment  of  the  Residency-General  and  are  en- 
deavoring to  interpret  to  the  Korean  people  the  true  purpose 
of  that  regime.  I am  personally  acquainted  with  many  Amer- 
ican missionaries  stationed  at  Seoul,  with  whose  conduct  and 
views  I am  fully  familiar.  The  fact  that  they  are  in  sympath)'^ 
with  the  new  regime  in  Korea,  which  is  under  the  guidance  of 
the  Residency-General,  and  that,  in  co-operation  with  the  Resi- 
dency-General. they  are  endeavoring  to  enlighten  the  Korean 
people,  does  not,  I trust,  require  any  special  confirmation.  Not 
only  is  the  attitude  of  the  American  missionaries  in  Korea  what 
I have  just  represented,  but  I have  all  along  been  recommend- 
ing to  the  Korean  Government  a policy  of  not  restricting  the 
freedom  of  religious  belief.  I may  also  state  that  the  Chris- 
tians in  Korea  will  continue  to  receive  equal  treatment  with 
other  subjects,  and  to  be  dealt  with  only  in  case  of  distinct 
violation  of  the  laws  of  the  country.” 

Prince  Ito  contributed  $2,500  to  the  fund  for  a new  building 
for  the  Japanese  Christian  Church  at  Pyeng  Yang,  and  when 
he  attended  the  dedication  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  building  in  Seoul, 
Dec.  4,  1908.  he  spoke  as  follows; 

"It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  be  with  you  today  on  this 
auspicious  occasion.  A year  ago  it  was  my  privilege  to  assist 
in  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  this  building,  and  I re- 
joice to  see  the  edifice,  then  only  just  begun,  completed  and  put 
in  shape  in  a manner  worthy  of  the  large-hearted  citizen  of  the 
great  Republic  who  provided  the  means  for  its  construction ; 
and  worthy,  also,  of  the  noble  cause  to  which  it  is  consecrated. 
I am  sinceiely  gratified  to  see  the  Association  installed  in  an 
abode  so  well  appointed  for  its  purposes,  because  I recognize  in 


8i 


it  a most  potent  instrument  for  the  advancement  of  the  social 
and  moral  well-being  of  this  people.  I recognize  in  the  Asso- 
ciation a friend  and  fellow  worker  in  the  great  cause  of  na- 
tional regeneration  which  it  is  my  duty  and  pleasure  to  further 
to  the  best  of  my  ability.  I hard!}-  need  assure  you.  ladies  and 
gentlemen,  that  the  Association  may  alwa3^s  count  upon  my 
sympathy  and  friendship.  The  Young  Men’s  Christian  Asso- 
ciation of  Seoul  has  the  sincerest  wishes  of  all  true  friends  of 
Korea  for  its  success  and  prosperity'. ” 

He  went  further,  and  gave  a banquet  at  his  official  residence 
in  honor  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  The  Secretary  of  the  Y.  M.  C. 
A,  reported  him  as  saying  on  this  occasion;  “In  the  early  years 
of  Japan’s  leformation,  the  senior  statesmen  were  opposed  to 
religious  toleration,  especially  because  of  distrust  of  Christian- 
ity. But  I fought  vehemently  for  freedom  of  belief  and  propa- 
gation and  finally  triumphed.  My  reasoning  was  this : Civil- 
ization depends  upon  morality,  and  the  highest  morality  upon 
religion.  Therefore,  religion  must  be  tolerated  and  encouraged. 
It  is  for  the  same  reason  that  I welcome  the  Young  Men’s 
Christian  Association,  believing  that  it  is  a powerful  ally  in 
the  great  task  I have  undertaken  in  attempting  to  put  the  feet 
of  Korea  upon  the  pathway  of  true  civilization.” 

Prince  I to  personally  told  me,  what  he  has  repeatedly  said 
to  others,  that  so  far  as  he  knew,  and  he  had  the  best  possible 
means  of  knowing,  there  was  no  truth  in  the  statement  that 
American  missionaries  have  encouraged  native  Christians  to  op- 
pose the  Government  or  to  revolt.  On  the  contrary,  “the  rela- 
tions between  the  Government,  the  Residency  and  llie  foreign 
missionaries  were,"  he  said,  “becoming  daily  more  cordial  and 
there  is  a perfect  mutual  understanding.” 

M’hat  is  the  attitude  of  the  missionaries  toward  the  Japan- 
ese? There  are  four  possible  attitudes:  First,  opposition;  sec- 
ond. aloofness;  third,  co-operation;  fourth,  loyal  recognition. 

The  first,  opposition,  is  naturally  the  attitude  winch  many 
Koreans,  particularly  among  non-Christians,  would  be  glad  to 
have  the  missionaries  adopt,  for  they  crave  sympathy  with 
their  aspirations  for  independence.  I need  hardly  say  that  it 
would  be  a totally  wrong  attitude  for  missionaries,  and  I could 
not  learn  of  a single  Pre,sbyterian  missionary  in  all  Korea  who 
hold.s  it.  We  are  not  in  any  non-Christian  country  to  fight  a 
government,  and  when  in  another  part  of  Asia  a man  connect- 
ed with  our  Mission  identified  himself  with  revolutionists,  the 
Board  promptly  dismissed  him. 

The  second,  aloofness,  however  attractive  in  theory,  is  im- 
possible in  practice.  One  cannot  live  in  a countr\'  and  ignore 
its  Government.  The  effort  to  Jo  so  would  satisfy  neither 


82 


Japanese  nor  Koreans,  but  expose  the  holder  to  the  suspicion 
of  both. 

The  third,  co-o])eration,  is  almost  as  objectionable  as 
the  first,  opposition.  Missionaries  are  not  called  upon  to  ally 
themselves  either  with  or  against  a government.  Both  the  first 
and  third  positions  would  take  missionaries  into  politics,  and 
if  there  is  any  sphere  in  the  world  from  which  they  should  reso- 
lutel}-  exclude  themselves,  it  is  the  political.  The  Roman  Cath- 
olic missionaries  in  Asia  have  stirred  up  enough  trouble  by 
their  political  activities  in  China  to  serve  as  a warning  for  us 
all. 

The  fourth,  loyal  recognition,  is  I believe  the  sound  position. 
It  is  in  accord  with  the  example  of  Christ,  who  loyally  sub- 
mitted himself  and  advised  his  Apostles  to  submit  themselves 
to  a far  worse  government  than  the  Japanese,  and  it  is  in  line 
with  the  teaching  of  P’aul  in  Romans  xiii:i. 

There  was  full  discussion  of  these  four  alternative  positions 
in  my  conference  with  the  Korea  ^Mission  at  Pyeng-Yang.  Dr. 
Gale  led  by  strong  advocacy  of  the  fourth  position.  A vote 
was  taken  and  it  was  unanimously  in  favor  of  loyal  recognition. 

Dr.  Underwood,  who  voted  with  the  others  for  thi^  position, 
made  the  point  in  the  discussion  that  when  the  missionary  op- 
poses wrong,  he  should  not  be  understood  as  opposing  the  Jap- 
ane.se  or  the  Japanese  government.  This  is  a distinction  which 
should  be  carefully  noted.  iNIissionaries  have  vehemently  op- 
posed some  things  which  the  American  Government  has  done 
in  the  Philippine  Islands ; but  they  have  not  been  considered 
hostile  to  the  Government  on  that  account.  It  is  the  duty  of  a 
missionary  to  oppose  evil  wherever  it  exists  and  under  what- 
ever auspices.  W hen  missionaries  protest  against  the  opium 
traffic,  they  are  simply  doing  what  the  Japanese  Government 
itself  is  attempting  to  enforce  by  law  in  Japan.  Wdien  they 
oppose  the  establishment  of  brothels,  their  desire  is  to  fight 
vice,  not  the  Government.  So  far  from  missionaries  inciting 
Koreans  against  the  Japanese,  they  have  really  done  more  to 
influence  them  to  submit  to  Japanese  Government  than  any 
other  class  of  men.  Repeated  eflforts  to  embroil  the  churches 
in  revolutionary  propaganda  have  been  suppressed  b}  mission- 
aries. 

Shortly  after  the  conference  at  which  these  conclusions  were 
reached,  I held  a conference  with  the  leaders  of  tilt  Korean 
Church.  I explained  to  them  the  four  alternative  positions, 
stated  above,  and  asked  their  views.  They  also  unanimously 
agreed  upon  the  fourth  position,  loyal  recognition.  They  did 
not,  of  course,  manifest  any  special  love  for  the  Japanese;  but 
they  were  emphatic  in  their  declaration  that  the  Christian 


83 


Church  must  hoKl  itself  aloof  from  politics  and  lawfully  obey 
the  constituted  authorities  of  the  country.  It  is  significant  that 
on  one  occasion  some  months  ago.  the  Korean  pastor  of  one  of 
our  churches  so  successfully  exerted  his  great  influence  to  re 
strain  the  Koreans  that  an  anti-Japanese  outbreak  was  pre- 
vented. 

.\fter  going  back  and  forth  through  Korea  three  limes,  and 
getting  the  opinions  of  missionaries  and  Korean  Christians  from 
one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other,  I am  satisfied  that  our 
missionaries  in  Korea  are  taking  the  right  position  on  this  (pies- 
tion. 

The  question  of  abolishing  the  extra-territorial  laws  is  cer- 
tain to  arise  before  long.  Indeed  it  is  already  being  agitated. 
It  cannot  reasonably  be  expected  that  the  Japanese,  who  sought 
and  obtained  the  abolition  of  extra-territorial  laws  for  their 
own  country,  will  long  acquiesce  in  their  continuance  in  Korea. 
Rumors  are  current  that  the  Japanese  are  even  now  quietly 
sounding  other  governments  on  the  subject,  and  some  foreign- 
ers are  quite  anxious  about  the  outcome.  Our  interest  in  this 
question  is  great,  as  our  Mission  includes  more  American  citi- 
zens and  more  American  property  than  any  other. 

In  my  judgment,  however,  we  should  keep  out  of  the  cpies- 
tion  absolutely.  It  is  a matter  to  be  determined  between  the 
governments  concerned.  Missionary  interests  in  Japan  suffer- 
ed no  ill  effects  from  the  abolition  of  extra-territorial  laws 
there,  and  we  should  not  assume  that  they  would  be  imperilled 
by  their  abolition  in  Korea.  It  is  true  that  Japanese  rule  is  not 
as  well  settled  in  Korea  as  it  is  in  Japan,  and  that  conditions  are 
different  in  some  respects.  But  it  is  our  business  as  a mission- 
ary enterprise  to  adapt  ourselves  to  the  governmental  regula- 
tions of  the  country  in  which  we  work.  If  the  missionary  is  in- 
jured in  person  or  property,  he  has  his  remedy  thiough  the 
American  Consul  and  the  American  Government,  whether  we 
have  extra-territorial  laws  or  not.  The  danger  that  the  Japan- 
ese would  make  oppressive  use  of  power  over  foreigners  if  they 
had  it  is  not  a tenth  part  as  great  as  the  harm  that  would  result 
from  efforts  of  missionaries  to  thwart  the  Japanese  in  ob*tain- 
ing  that  control  over  their  dependency  which  Americans  them- 
selves would  insist  upon  in  like  circumstances,  and  which  as  a 
matter  of  fact  they  have  in  the  Philippines. 

I must  not  close  this  phase  of  the  subject  without  reference 
to  the  Japanese  Christians  in  Korea.  One  finds  them  in  many 
parts  of  the  country.  The  sincerity  of  their  faith  's  evidenced 
by  the  fact  that  they  have  established  the  worship  of  God,  in 
some  important  instances  without  any  foreign  initiative  or  as- 
sistance, and  they  are  witnessing  a good  confession  for  Christ. 


84 


There  are  no  less  tlian  eleven  organized  Japanese  churches  in 
Korea,  besides  several  unorganized  groups  of  believers.  The 
churches  are  at  Fusan,  jMokpo,  Taiku  and  Wonsan,  one  each; 
Chemulpo  and  Pyeng  Vang,  two  each;  and  Seoul,  three.  Five 
of  these  (Fusan,  Mokpo,  Taiku,  Wonsan,  and  one  in  Seoul) 
might  be  called  Presbyterian,  as  they  are  affiliated  with  The 
Church  of  Christ  in  Japan;  three  are  iNIethodist  (one  each  in 
Seoul.  Pyeng  Yang  and  Chemulpo  ) ; two  might  be  called  Con- 
gregational, as  they  are  affiliated  with  the  Kumiai  Churches  of 
Japan,  Congregational:  and  one  (Chemulpo)  belongs  to- The 
Church  of  England. 

The  work  of  the  Rev.  Frederick  S.  Curtis,  who  was  trans- 
ferred from  the  West  Japan  Mission  to  labor  among  the  Japan- 
ese in  Korea,  is  admirable.  Alissionaries  and  Japanese  alike 
speak  of  it  in  high  terms.  He  forms  an  acceptable  medium  of 
communication  between  our  Alission  and  the  Japanese  officials, 
and  conducts  an  influential  evangelistic  work  among  the  Japan- 
ese in  various  parts  of  the  country. 

MISSIONS  IN  KOREA. 

There  are  strategic  times  and  places  in  the  Kingdom  of  God. 
Alan  cannot  always  forecast  them.  He  must  hold  himself  in 
readiness  to  avail  himself  of  them  as  God  points  the  way. 
Twenty-five  years  ago,  no  student  of  the  non-Christian  world 
would  have  selected  Korea  as  a strategic  base.  Any  favorable 
predictions  at  that  time  were  simpl}'  those  which  are  common 
to  the  friends  of  mission  fields  everywhere.  What  was  there 
except  human  misery  to  attract  Christians  of  the  West  to  this 
small  and  weak  country,  with  its  untidy,  ir  lolent  and  apathetic 
people?  Did  Air.  D.  W.  AlcWilliams  of  Brooklyn  and  the 
Rev.  Dr.  John  F.  Goucher  of  Baltimore  see  the  gold  in  the 
dirt  of  Korean  character  when  they  made  the  gifts  which  sent 
the  first  Presbyterian  and  Alethodist  missionaries  to  this  distant 
and  then  little  known  land?  It  may  have  been,  for  they  are 
far-seeing  men.  Alore  probably  they  were  prompted  by  that 
spirit  which  impels  the  true  disciple  of  Christ  to  stretch  out  the 
uplifting  hand  to  those  who  seem  to  be  farthest  out  and  lowest 
down.  At  any  rate,  Korea  was  a land  which  knew  not  Christ, 
and  there  were  missionaries  ready  to  go ; this  was  enough. 

1 need  not  repeat  here  the  oft-told  story  of  those  early  days. 
I have  told  it  in  outline  elsewhere*  and  1 hope  to  tell  it  more 
fully  in  another  connection.  Progress  was  slow  at  first.  The 
missionaries  encountered  the  suspicion  and  opposition  which 
are  usually  incident  to  the  beginnings  of  missionary  work  every- 
where. Ten  years  after  their  arrival,  there  were  only  141 


•The  Nearer  aud  Farther  East,  pp.  '1J77-312. 


85 


Cliristians  in  the  whole  country.  The  heroi.sm  and  sympathy 
of  the  missionaries  in  Pyeng  Yang  amid  the  terrors  of  the 
China-Japan  War  of  1894  and  in  Seoul  during  an  epidemic  of 
cholera  not  long  afterwards  marked  the  turning  point.  Since 
then,  Korea  has  been  opened  to  the  Gospel  as  no  other  field  in 
the  world.  The  Spirit  of  God  has  moved  upon  the  hearts  of 
the  people  with  great  power.  Revival  after  revival  has  swept 
over  certain  stations  until  Pyeng  Yang  in  particular  has  become 
known  to  the  whole  world.  The  statistics  for  that  station  are 
marvelous,  but  hardly  less  remarkable  are  those  for  several 
others.  Taiku,  Syen  Chyun,  Chai  Ryung,  and  Kang  Kai,  have 
histories  which,  though  covering  but  a few  years,  are  crowded 
with  inspiring  facts.  When  I journeyed  through  Korea  in 
1901,  I wa.i  stirred  by  the  wonderful  things  that  God  was  do- 
ing. I asked  myself  then,  as  many  others  did:  Will  this  work 
continue?  It  has  continued.  In  1909,  I found  no  sign  of 
abatement  but  rather  signs  of  increasing  power.  It  is  difficult 
to  give  a sober  account  of  the  situation.  Every  year,  it  has 
seemed  that  the  movement  must  have  reached  its  climax  and 
that  there  would  certainly  be  a reaction ; but  every  year  has 
seen  the  movement  broadening  and  deepening  until  it  now  looks 
as  if  Korea  would  be  the  first  of  the  non-Christian  nations  to 
become  evangelized.  Statistics  are  said  to  be  dry,  but  who  can 
read  unmoved  the  following  record  for  our  Korea  Mission: 


Year 

1 

Out-stations — Places  ofi 
Regular  Meeting. 

Organized  Churches, 

Churches  Entirely  Self- 
Supporting. 

Total  Communicants. 

Communicants  Added 
During  the  Year. 

1884-5 

1885-6 

1 

9 

9 

1886-7 

1 

25 

20 

1887-8 

1 

V 

65 

45 

1888-9 

1 

.2.0 

104, 

39 

1889-0 

3 

1 

100 

3 

1890-1 

5 

1 

t/j  5 

119 

21 

1891-2 

5 

1 

■$< 

127 

17 

1892-3 

5 

1 

z 

141 

14 

1893-4 

7 

1 

236 

76 

1894-5 

13 

1 

286 

50 

1895-6 

26 

10 

15 

530 

210 

1896-7 

73 

10 

40 

932 

347 

1897-8 

205 

24 

170 

2.079 

1.153 

1898-9 

261 

261 

230 

2,804 

841 

1899-0 

287 

253 

255 

3,690 

1,086 

1900-1 

30C 

268 

270 

4,793 

1,263 

1901-2 

34C 

a 

295 

5,481 

970 

1902-3 

372 

a 

302 

6,491 

1,436 

1903-4 

385 

7 

353 

7,916 

1.876 

1904-5 

418 

1C 

329 

9,756 

2,034 

1905-6 

628 

2C 

480 

2,546 

2,811 

1906-7 

767 

21 

611 

5,152 

3,421 

1907-8 

801 

42 

787 

9,65^ 

5,423 

1908-9 

971 

57 

965 

25,057 

6,532 

s 9 


§:! 

■s-S 


a 

> 


< 


in 

o 

Z 


486 

410 

1,059 

1,009 

2,078 

3,163 


(O 


6,800 

7,500 

9,634 

13,569 

13,694 

16,333 

22,662 

23,356 

30,386 

44,587 

54,987 

73,844 

96,443 


c3.-= 

in  > 

o< 

Z 


2,344 

2,800 

3,426 

4,000 

4,480 

5,986 

6,197 

6,295 

7,320 

11,025 

16,721 

19,336 

23,885 


S2 


2 

54 

(/)  > 

2 

40 

2 

40 

2 

35 

3 

115 

3 

115 

4,800 

9 

545 

5,200 

165 

1,139 

6,500 

225 

4,302 

9,114 

250 

5,000 

10,865 

250 

8,678 

13,836 

237 

1,816 

15,306 

290 

5,834 

16,869 

316 

15,407 

22,121 

361 

17,894 

35,262 

491 

20,689 

46,235 

596 

36,975 

58,308 

793 

49.545 

72,676 

942 

87,177 

86 


The  statistician  of  the  Mission,  Mr.  Clark,  summarizes  the 
most  important  items  as  follows ; 

Twenty-five  years  ago,  not  one  Christian;  now  100,000  in 
our  Church  alone,  of  whom  25.057  are  full  communicant 
members. 

Last  year  in  eleven  months,  6.522  were  baptized,  a net  in- 
crease of  27  per  cent.  The  average  net  increase  for  thirteen 
years  is  38  per  cent. 

In  eleven  months  of  last  year,  the  Church  raised  for  all  pur- 
poses Yen  162,150.34. 

Last  year,  in  our  591  Church  primary  schools,  10.916  boys 
and  2,511  girls  were  studying. 

Three  hundred  and  seven  Korean  Christian  workers  on  sal- 
ary, 246  or  80  per  cent,  of  whom  are  paid  by  the  Church. 

Including  school  teachers,  of  the  1,152  employees  of  the 
Church,  94  per  cent,  are  supported  without  any  foreign  funds. 

Bible  Study  Classes  were  held  at  800  different  places  with  a 
total  enrollment  of  50,000,  making  one-half  of  our  adherents 
attending  such  classes. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  H.  G.  L'nderwood,  of  Seoul,  places  the  number 
of  Christians  in  the  whole  country  at  200,000.  This  figure 
must  include  catechumens ; but  these  are  really  Christians  in 
the  sense  in  which  the  term  is  used  in  western  lands. 

W hile  our  mission  work  is  far  the  largest  in  Korta,  that  of 
other  Boards  is  also  being  greatly  blessed.  The  Rev.  D.  A. 
Bunker,  of  the  Methodist  Church,  recently  wrote  to  a friend : 
“W'ork  along  all  lines  goes  forward  rapidly,  so  fast  that  we 
can  hardly  keep  within  sight  of  the  van.  It  is  a great  oppor- 
tunity for  winning  souls  for  Christ  in  this  land,  and  we  are  all 
on  the  run  to  keep  pace  with  the  work  we  have  in  hand.  The 
people  of  the  Qiurch  of  which  I have  charge  in  the  city  are 
carrying  on  home  mission  work  in  over  140  villages  outside 
this  city  wall.  Every  Sunday,  the  members  and  the  workers 
they  have  enlisted  carry  on  regular  preaching  in  eleven  mis- 
sion chapels. 

"Last  Sunday,  I was  at  one  of  these  chapels  and  received 
twenty-three  probationers.  The  native  pastor  and  myself  are 
out  among  these  chapels  more  than  half  our  Sundays.  At  every 
chapel,  there  are  candidates  for  baptism  or  full  membership 
or  probationship  awaiting  us.  A few  Sundays  ago,  at  one 
chapel,  I baptized  si.x  persons  the  average  age  of  whom  was 
above  seventy.  One  husband  was  seventy-nine  and  his  wife 
seventy-six.  As  result  of  revival  meetings  which  the  members 
of  my  Church  have  been  carrying  on  for  the  past  ten  days,  61 1 
new  names  have  been  added  to  the  list  of  believers.  Other 
churches  are  no  whit  behind  in  bringing  in  new  believers.” 


8/ 


And  these  Korean  Christians  give  and  pray  and  study  their 
Bibles  and  seek  tlie  conversion  of  others.  Though  they  are 
among  the  most  poverty-stricken  people  in  the  world,  those  in 
connection  with  our  ^Mission  support  in  full  588  of  their  pri- 
mary schools  and  965  of  their  regular  congregations.  Their 
contributions  for  all  purposes,  including  hospital  fees,  have 
increased  as  follows;  (one  yen  equals  50  cents). 


IQ02 yen  5,470.48 

1903  “ 6,583.30 

1904  “ 9,962.11 

1905  “ 17,882.69 

1906  “ 33.349-89 

1907  “ 49.189-73 

1908  “ 77.335-86 

1909  “ 94,811.02 


The  wage  of  a Korean  laborer  is  about  twenty  cents  a day, 
as  compared  with  $1.50  or  $2.00  in  the  United  State-..  Imagine 
tl.en  the  significance  of  gifts  in  a single  year  aggregating  yen 
94,811.02,  or  sixty-four  cents  for  every  dollar  given  by  the 
Board. 

-A  visitor  interested  in  Sunday-school  work  was  troubled  be- 
cause he  found  what  seemed  to  be  a small  proportion  of  chil- 
dren in  the  Sunday-schools.  The  fact  was  that  the  whole  con- 
gregation of  each  group  of  believers  was  in  Sunday-school 
studying  the  Word  of  God.  Practically  all  the  boys  and  girls 
were  there : but  scattered  through  the  great  assemblages  with 
their  parents,  they  were  not  so  readily  noticed  by  an  American 
to  whom  a Sunday-school  meant  a gathering  of  chddren  with 
only  a handful  of  adults.  Korea  has  the  best  kind  of  Sunday- 
schools,  for  they  are  congregational  Bible  schools. 

-As  for  prayer,  there  is  a family  altar  in  ever}’  home  and  no 
meal  is  eaten  without  asking  the  blessing  of  God.  The  prayer 
meeting,  like  the  Sunday-school,  brings  together  all  who  are 
phy.s'ically  able  to  come.  The  Pyeng  A^ang  prayer  meeting  has 
been  often  described ; it  is  the  largest  in  the  world.  I attended 
the  prayer  meeting  in  the  ATm  Alot  Kol  Church  in  Seoul.  It 
was  a dark,  rainy  night.  A Korean  was  to  lead,  and  the  people 
did  not  know  that  a traveler  from  the  West  would  be  present ; 
but  I found  about  1,000  Christians  assembled.  Xo  visitor, 
however  distinguished,  would  bring  out  1,200  American  church 
members  on  prayer  meeting  night  in  any  city  in  the  United 
States,  but  1,200  people  packed  the  Syen  Chyun  Church  the 
evening  we  spent  there.  It  is  worth  going  far  to  hear  those 
Korean  Christians  pray.  They  bow  with  their  faces  to  the 
floor  and  utter  petitions  as  those  who  know  what  it  is  to  have 
daily  audience  with  God.  This  spirit  of  prayer  and  Bible  study 


88 


pervades  their  daily  lives.  The  Rev.  F.  S.  Aliller  writes  from 
our  recently  e.stablished  station  at  Gnmg  Jn: 

“We  are  in  a mountain  village  in  a rocky  gully  at  the  foot  of  Yellow- 
Crane  IMountain.  These  people  appreciate  the  light  and  joy  it  brings 
into  their  dark  homes.  They  have  time  to  think  and  pray  and  study 
during  the  w-inter.  They  appreciate  our  visits,  too.  The  little  bands  of 
Christians  scattered  through  the  mountains  have  a common  bond  of 
union  with  each  other  and  wdth  the  great  Church  out  in  the  world,  a 
bond  that  gives  them  a new  vision,  a new  life.  v 

“Dr.  Purviance  is  leveling  off  the  south  end  of  the  hill,  on  which  our 
station  stands,  for  a hospital.  .-\s  I w-alked  over  the  site  the  other  day, 
I noticed  a niche  in  the  bank  and  that  it  contained  four  Testaments  and 
hymn  books.  Where  in  .America  do  you  find  a band  of  workers  taking 
Testaments  and  hymn  books  to  work  with  them,  I thought.  Then  I 
remembered  how  I had  found  one  of  my  coolies  on  the  top  of  a pass, 
resting  by  the  side  of  his  load  and  learning  to  read  out  of  a copy  of 
Alark’s  Gospel.  That  was  last  year;  this  year  when  I came  back  from 
-America,  I heard  him  offer  a helpful  prayer  in  prayer-meeting,  and  he 
is  only  about  one  year  old  in  his  Christian  life. 

“.As  I stood  thinking  these  things  over,  the  men  came  around  the 
bank,  laid  down  their  shovels  and  picks  and  asked  me  to  lead  their 
‘rest  time  prayer  meeting.’  Perhaps  only  half  of  them  were  Chris- 
tians, but  all  .sat  in  respectful  silence  and  bowed  their  heads  in  prayer. 
Xot  a few  of  those  who  are  Christians  were  led  to  Christ  when  we 
erected  our  building  two  or  three  years  ago." 

.An  interesting  phase  of  tiie  evangelistic  situation  in  Korea 
is  the  willingness  of  the  churches  to  consider  their  responsi- 
bilities toward  others.  Training  classes  have  become  a con- 
.spicnons  feature  of  the  Korean  work.  They  assemble  the  lead- 
ing Christians  from  a wide  station  area  for  devout  study  and 
prayer.  Beginning  with  one  class  of  seven  men  in  1891,  the 
classes  have  increased  in  numbers  until  in  1909,  743 
classes  enrolled  30,500  men  and  11,334  women,  a total  of 
42,812.  .Allowing  for  individuals  who  attended  more  than  one 
class,  about  thirty-nine  per  cent,  of  the  Christians  were  in  at 
least  one  class  last  year.  .All  expenses  are  met  by  the  Koreans 
themselves,  who  often  come  from  considerable  distances.  It 
is  not  uncommon  for  men  to  walk  two  hundred  miles  to  these 
classes,  and  in  some  instances  they  have  come  from  an  even 
greater  distance.  These  men  and  women  go  back  to  their  vil- 
lages to  speak  of  Christ  to  their  unconverted  neighbors. 

The  following  extracts  from  recent  letters  from  Dr.  \V.  O. 
Johnson  of  Taikn,  and  the  Rev.  A\'.  L.  Swallen  of  Pyeng 
A'ang,  are  samples  of  scores  that  I might  cite  from  my  regu- 
lar correspondence.  The'  former  writes : “The  men's  class 
which  has  just  closed  was  attended  by  500  men.  They  came 
from  all  parts  of  the  Province,  and  studied  well.  The  spirit 
was  fine.  250  men  pledged  enough  days  of  preaching  to  equal 
the  work  of  one  man  for  nine  years,  and  a large  body  of  men 


8g 


pledged  themselves  to  begin  eacli  day  with  the  petition  to  the 
Lord:  “W'liat  wilt  Thon  have  me  do  today?’  " 

Mr.  Swallen  writes:  "Since  you  were  with  us  here  at  Pyeng 
Yang,  1 have  been  over  my  field  and  visited  every  Church. 
Things  are  in  good  condition.  The  Church  is  waking  up  to  a 
strenuous  effort  to  take  the  Gospel  to  every  house  and  every 
man  and  woman  this  year.  I baptized  619  adults  and  51  chil- 
dren. At  a circuit  class  which  1 belli  for  a week,  250  were 
present,  all  staying  till  the  close  of  the  last  session.  One  evening 
was  given  to  the  subject  of  personal  work,  and  an  opportunity 
for  pledging  a number  of  days’  work  during  the  year  resulted 
i)i  an  aggregate  of  2,700  days  of  preaching  pledged.  The  helpers 
who  had  no  time  of  their  own  to  give  pledged  each  a half 
month’s  salary.  W’hen  these  return  to  their  cliurclies,  many 
more  days  of  preaching  to  unbelievers  will  be  pledged  by  those 
who  were  r.ot  at  the  class. 

"An  ox-load  of  4,000  copies  of  Mark’s  Gospel  was  sent  to 
me  during  the  class,  and  in  less  than  half  an  hour  they  were  all 
gone.  I had  not  sufficient  to  supply  the  demand.  These  Gos- 
pels are  purchased  by  the  Christians  and  given  gratis  to  such 
as  promise  to  read  it.  On  returning  home,  1 presented  the  sub- 
ject of  personal  work  to  my  South  Gate  Church  in  the  city, 
and  two  extra  evangelists  were  provided  for  the  year.  I have  a 
map  of  mv  territory  made  and  every  house  is  marked.  The 
Gospel  is  going  to  reach  every  Korean  this  year.” 

.Another  and  later  letter  includes  the  following:  "I  have  just 
returned  from  a class  at  Syen  Chyun  where  there  were  1,400 
present.  3.300  copies  of  Alark’s  Gospel  were  purchased  by  the 
Christians  to  give  away  in  their  preaching  to  unbelievers.  Af- 
ter an  address  on  the  subject  of  tithing,  several  himdred  de- 
cided hereafter  to  give  the  tenth  to  the  Lord.  .At  the  close  of 
a sermon  on  Rom.  12:  1-2,  over  400  stood  up  and  solemnly 
dedicated  themselves  wholly  to  the  Lord.  I never  was  in  a 
more  blessed  meeting.  From  every  part  of  the  country  come 
in  good  reports  of  what  the  Lord  is  doing.  A colporteur,  while 
coming  into  the  city  from  ten  miles  out,  counted  400  men  who 
had  received  a Gospel.  Alen  coming  in  from  churclies  where 
they  were  having  a week  of  Bible  study  say  that  the  churches 
are  crowded  with  new  believers.  In  some  instances,  the  con- 
gregations are  doubled  and  people  are  standing  outside  the 
doors  listening  to  the  Gospel.” 

Nor  is  the  thought  of  the  Korean  Christians  confined  to  their 
imme  hate  neighborhoods.  One  of  the  seven  men  ordained 
September  17,  1907,  Ah  Ki  Poung,  was  .set  aside  as  a mission- 
ary to  the  island  of  Quelpart,  the  Church  to  provide  his  e.x- 
penses  and  support.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  this  first  Ko- 


90 


rean  missionary  was  a man  who  stoned  Dr.  iMofifett  on  the 
streets  of  I’yeng  Yang  nineteen  years  ago.  Korean  Christians 
are  now  earnestly  considering  whether  they  ought  to  assist  in 
the  evangelization  of  the  Chinese,  particularly  those  who  are 
on  their  northern  border  in  iManchuria.  Mr.  Miller  says  that 
one  day  he  happened  to  hear  a Korean  praying  in  church,  and 
this  was  the  petition:  “O  Lord,  we  are  a despised  people,  the 
weakest  nation  on  the  earth.  But  thou  art  a God  who  choosest 
the  despised  things.  W ilt  thou  use  this  nation  to  show  forth 
Thy  glory  in  Asia."  Mr.  Miller  adds:  “W’e  believe  th.at  prayer 
is  being  answered  before  our  eyes.  If  the  poor  in  spirit,  the 
weak,  they  that  mourn,  and  the  peacemakers  are  blessed  be- 
yond the  self-.satisfied,  the  proud  and  exultant,  then  Korea  is 
blessed  of  God.  To  the  fleshly  man,  Korea  is  a decadent  na- 
tion; to  the  spiritual  man  she  is  a nation  being  born  in  a day.’’ 

The  last  mails  bring  an  account  of  the  plans  of  the  mission- 
aries represented  in  the  General  Council  of  Missions  to  seek  to 
lead  a million  people  to  Christ  during  the  coming  year.  Dr. 
Um'erwood  writes  : "It  was  found  that  a million  this  year  would, 
mean  that  each  member  of  the  Church,  counting  the  enrolled 
catechumenate  as  members,  would  have  to  go  out  and  win  one 
soul  a month  during  the  twelve  months.  You  can  see  how  easy 
it  woul.l  be  if  each  will  do  his  work.  W’e  are  now  trying  to 
get  each  one  to  start.  The  iMethodist  Conference  was  a most 
enthusiastic  one.  The  15c;  men  who  were  present  plediged  some 
3,000  days  during  the  next  three  months.  At  Chai  Ryung,  to 
which  I was  asked  to  go,  the  training  class,  when  the  matter 
was  presented  to  them,  pledged  during  the  next  three  months 
over  5,000  days.  W'e  have  secured  from  the  British  and  For- 
eign Bible  Society  a special  copy  of  Mark,  that  is  being  printed 
in  large  quantities.  These  will  be  .sold  to  Christians  who  will 
take  them  and  with  a wDrd  of  prayer  and  advice  give  them  to 
their  heathen  friends.  The  Society  first  ordered  100,000,  and 
then  cabled  to  make  it  200,000.  Finding  their  orders  were 
nearly  300,000,  have  made  it  400,000.  W’e  expect  consider- 
ably over  a million  of  these  Gospels  will  be  distributed  during 
the  year,  and  a determined  effort  will  be  made  to  see  that  every 
household  in  Korea  during  this  year  hears  the  story  of  Christ 
in  an  intelligent  manner.  The  whole  country  will  be  districted, 
and  in  some  way  or  other  every  house  will  be  reached." 

It  is  in  my  heart  to  write  more  at  length  regarding  the  details 
of  the  wonderful  work  of  God  in  Korea ; but  all  this  has  been 
done  with  fullness  and  vividness  of  detail  in  a pamphlet  of 
140  pages  entitled  "Quarto-Centennial  Papers  Read  Before  the 
Korea  Mission  at  the  Annual  Meeting  in  Pyeng  Yang,  August 
27th,  1909."  It  would  extend  my  report  to  unreasonable  length 


91 


if  I were  to  inclmle  that  story,  and  it  would  be  a pity  to  weaken 
its  effect  bv  simply  giving  extracts  from  it  here.  I wish  that 
it  might  b'-  read  in  connection  with  this  report,  so  ibat  every 
reader  of  my  words  will  get  the  wide  vision  and  inspiring  ac- 
count of  the  wonder-working  of  God  in  this  little  country. 

I have  beard  the  criticism  that  the  alleged  progress  in  Korea 
is  simply  a mass  movement  of  peasants  which  is  largely  emo- 
tional in  character  and  with  no  sufficient  basis  in  education. 
The  sense  of  national  weakness  and  helplessness,  the  heavy 
consciousness  of  woe  and  oppression  incline  the  Koreans  to 
follow  the  leadership  of  missionaries.  Will  their  Christianity 
be  as  virile  and  permanent  as  that  of  the  slower  and  more  ten- 
acious Chinese  and  the  more  philosophical  and  mystical  East 
Indian?  The  Koreans  are  turning  to  God  from  the  depths  of 
utter  worldly  despair,  accepting  the  Gospel  as  their  only  hope 
and  help  in  this  world.  Will  they  give  it  the  same  supremacy  in 
their  lives  when  their  worldly  conditions  improve  and  life  has 
in  it  more  of  the  opportunities  and  ambitions  which  characterize 
other  peoples  ? 

I do  not  share  these  forebodings.  It  is  true  that  the  Koreans 
are  coming  to  the  Church  in  large  numbers ; but  it  is  not  true 
that  they  are  received  in  a mass.  ]\Iissionaries  deal  with  each 
individual  separately,  carefully  examining  him  and  testing  him 
as  a catechumen  for  an  average  period  of  a }'ear.  He  is  not 
enrolled  as  a communicant  until  he  shows  reasonable  familiar- 
ity with  the  Bible,  maintains  family  prayers,  contributes  in  pro- 
portion to  his  means,  and  lives  a consistent  Christian  life.  If 
membership  in  American  churches  were  confined  to  Christians 
of  that  type,  would  the  enrollment  be  as  large  as  it  is  now? 

It  is  true  also  that  there  is  a large  emotional  element  in  Ko- 
rean Christianity ; but  why  should  we  distrust  the  work  on  that 
account?  The  heart  is  quite  as  likely  to  be  right  as  the  head. 
Repentance,  faith  and  devotion  which  enlist  the  profoundest 
emotions  of  the  soul  are  surely  not  to  be  slighted.  Love  is  the 
strongest  and  most  lasting  of  human  passions ; and  when  it  is 
centered  in  Christ,  it  affiords  firm  foundation  for  the  Chris- 
tian life.  The  Japanese  can  war,  the  Chinese  can  work,  and  the 
Korean  can  love.  There  is  room  for  them  all  in  the  large  plan 
of  the  universal  God. 

But  it  is  not  true  that  Korean' converts  are  not  grounded  in 
the  faith  and  that  they  are  not  receiving  an  education.  I have 
already  referred  to  the  congregational  Bible  schools  everv  Sun- 
day, and  to  the  Bible  Training  Classes  which  are  held  at  all  the 
stations.  These  special  means  of  instruction  are  supplemented 
by  preaching  sendees  and  by  daily  study  in  the  homes.  If  there 
are  any  other  Christians  in  the  world  who  are  more  familiar 


92 


with  the  Scriptures  than  the  Korean  Christians,  I have  not  had 
the  pleasure  of  meeting  them.  I refer  elsewhere  to  the  schools 
for  general  education  and  to  the  need  of  better  equipment  for 
them  ; but  let  it  be  noted  here  that  almost  every  group  of  Chris- 
tians in  the  country  maintains  a primary  school,  that  our  sta- 
tions are  as  well  equipped  with  boarding  schools  as  the  average 
stations  in  other  fields,  and  that  a college  has  already  been 
started. 

Political  conditions  have  undoubtedly  made  the  progress  of 
the  Gospel  more  ea.sy  than  in  .some  other  lands.  The  Christian 
movement,  hoAvever,  attained  large  proportions  before  the 
Japanese  occupation  and  while  the  Koreans  were  under  their 
own  Government.  Since  the  Japanese  occupation,  missionaries 
and  Korean  Christian  leaders  have  been  indefatigable  in 
insisting  upon  the  separation  of  the  Church  from  poli- 
tics. Attempts  to  use  the  mission  work  in  the  interests 
of  a revolutionary  propaganda  have  been  strongK  resist- 
ed. In  some  instances,  congregations  and  Young  Men’s 
Christian  Associations  have  been  disbanded  on  that  ac- 
count. The  only  Christian  agency  in  Korea  whose  numbers  are 
materially  mcreaserl  by  political  feeling  is  the  Salvation  Army. 
The  military  organization,  equipment  and  methods  of  the  Army 
naturally  mislead  many  of  the  simpler-minded  Koreans.  As 
the  Salvation  Army  officers  do  not  yet  know  the  Korean  lan- 
guage, and  are  therefore  obliged  to  preach  through  hired  inter- 
preters with  no  means  of  knowing  how  accurate  the  interpreta- 
tion is.  thev  are  being  deceived  by  apparent  results  which  I 
fear  will  not  endure.  Xo  Presbyterian  missionary  would  be 
allowed  to  engage  in  independent  evangelistic  work  and  to  re- 
lAort  large  numbers  of  converts  within  a few  months  after  his 
arrival  in  the  country.  The  Salvation  Army  is  doing  good 
work  in  some  other  places  in  Asia,  and  its  officers  will  learn 
ere  long  that  it  is  wise  to  move  more  cautiously  in  Korea  than 
they  have  a et  done. 

Taking  Korean  Christians  as  a whole,  the  facts  which  have 
been  stated  regarding  their  giving,  their  study  of  the  Bible, 
their  zeal  for  the  conversion  of  others,  and  the  consistency  of 
their  daily  lives,  should  protect  them  against  the  charge  of  be- 
ing unintelligent  and  merely  emotional  Christians.  Their  con- 
fession of  heinous  sins  during  the  intensity  of  revivals  has  been 
cited  as  evidence  that  their  Christianity  is  shallow.  It  is  odd 
that  any  one  should  draw  such  a conclusion.  The  Spirit  of 
God  led  those  poor  Koreans  to  confess  to  the  very  sins  which 
are  notoriously  not  wanting  among  those  who  are  called  Chris- 
tians in  Europe  and  America.  It  ill  becomes  travelers  from 
countries  where  such  sins  are  not  confessed  until  investigations 


93 


expose  them  to  criticise  Christians  in  Korea  wlio  have  the 
grace  to  confess  them  voluntarily. 

For  myself,  I cannot  withhold  the  tribute  of  my  confidence 
and  love  for  those  Korean  Christians.  As  1 met  them  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  country,  in  villages  and  cities,  churches  and 
homes,  I was  profoundlv  impressed  by  their  sincerity  and  de- 
votion. We  arrived  at  Chai  Ryung  about  dark  Saturday  even- 
ing, after  a journey  of  five  hours  in  chairs  from  the  railway 
station.  As  I was  tired  and  dusty.  I did  not  expect  to  meet  the 
Christians  that  evening.  Learning,  however,  that  many  of  them 
had  assembled  in  the  church,  I went  over,  and  during  the 
meeting,  asked  them  to  tell  me  in  their  own  way  what  they 
found  in  Christ  that  lead  them  to  love  and  serve  Him.  One 
after  another  those  men  rose  and  answered  my  question.  I 
jotted  down  their  replies,  and  find  the  following  in  my  notes: 
“Deliverance  from  sin,"  “forgiveness,”  “peace,"  “guidance," 
“strength,"  “power  to  do,"  “joy,"  “comfort,"  “eternal  life." 
Surely  these  earnest  Koreans  have  found  something  of  value  in 
Christ.  As  we  bowed  together  in  a closing  prayer,  my  heart 
went  out  to  them  as  to  those  who,  with  fewer  advantages  than 
I had  enjoyed,  have  nevertheless  learned  more  than  I of  the 
deep  things  of  God. 

\\’e  are  not  doing  too  much,  as  some  allege,  for  the  evangeli- 
zation of  Korea.  Grant  that  it  is  weak  and  obscure  from 
the  viewpoint  of  the  world.  Is  it  not  of  the  very  essence  of 
the  religion  of  Christ  that  we  should  go  out  to  the  poor  and 
weak?  What  right  have  we  to  assume  that  those  who  appear  to 
be  so  lowly  will  not  be  of  future  worth  and  influence?  Histor- 
ically. the  two  most  powerful  and  aggressive  religions  of  the 
world  did  not  emanate  from  the  stronger  nations.  Moham- 
medanism was  born  in  barren  and  insignificant  Arabia;  Chris- 
tianity sprang  from  subject  and  helpless  Palestine.  The  Ko- 
reans are  no  more  contemptible  in  the  eyes  of  the  world  today 
than  the  Christians  of  the  first  century  were  to  the  haughty 
Romans.  But  God  chose  the  Jews  as  the  ])eople  through  whom 
to  manifest  His  power  to  the  world.  iMav  He  not  be  choosing 
the  humble  Koreans  for  like  spiritual  purposes  in  the  Far  East? 
Their  verv  political  impotence,  the  absence  of  worldly  ambi- 
tions to  divert  their  minds,  the  fact  that  they  are  not  under  the 
weight  of  an  established  non-Christian  faith,  make  them  all  the 
more  accessible  to  the  Gospel  message  and  all  the  more  free  to 
declare  it  to  others.  Once  again  it  is  true  that  “God  chose  the 
weak  things  of  the  world  that  He  might  put  to  shame  the  things 
that  are  strong ; and  the  things  that  are  despised  did  God 
choose,  . . . that  He  might  bring  to  nought  the  things  that  are ; 
that  no  flesh  should  glory  before  God.” 


94 


Tlie  problem  of  relationship  to  the  Native  Church,  which  has 
become  so  prominent  in  Japan  and  China,  can  hardly  be  said 
to  exist  in  Korea.  The  problem  here  is  the  antithesis  of  the 
problem  in  Japan.  We  are  dealing,  not  with  a self-governing 
Church,  bm  with  one  which  gladly  accepts  foreign  leadership. 
There  is  probably  no  other  place  in  the  world  where  missionary 
supremacy  is  more  ab.solute,  nor  is  there  any  other  where  na- 
tive Christians  look  up  to  the  missionary  with  greater  confi- 
dence and  affection.  The  relationship  is  not  so  much  that  of 
friend  to  friend  as  of  child  to  parent.  The  temperament  and 
peculiar  situation  oT  the  Korean  people  will  probably  mean  a 
long  continuance  of  these  conditions. 

The  Church,  however,  is  becoming  well  established.  The 
Mission  was  late  in  consummating  the  formal  organization  of 
the  Church,  for  reasons  which  I set  forth  in  my  report  on  my 
visit  in  1901.  Since  then  notable  advance  has  been  made.  Sep- 
tember 17,  1907,  was  a memorable  day,  for  it  witnessed  the 
solemn  constitution  of  the  Presbytery  of  Korea  in  accordance 
with  authority  given  by  the  General  Assemblies  of  the  four 
Presbyterian  Churches  whose  Missions  are  united  in  the  Gen- 
eral Council:  Presbyterian  North,  Presbyterian  South,  Cana- 
dian Presb}'terian  and  Australian  Presbyterian.  The  Rev. 
Samuel  A.  Moffett.  D.D.,  was  chosen  Moderator. 

“The  Presbytery  at  its  organization  consisted  of  33  foreign 
missionaries  and  representative  elders  from  36  organized 
churches,  two  other  churches  with  elders  not  being  represented. 
The  Presbytery  made  its  first  work  the  examination  of  the 
seven  men  who  had  finished  the  theological  course  of  five  years. 
At  an  limpressive  service  that  evening,  these  men  were  or- 
dained the  first  Presbyterian  ministers  of  the  Korean  Church.’’ 
The  Pre.sbytery  then  had  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  over  a 
church  with  17,890  communicants,  21,482  catechumens,  38  or- 
ganized churches,  984  churches  not  all  fully  organized,  adher- 
ents numbering  69,098,  and  402  day  schools  with  8,61 1 pupils. 
The  Presbytery  adopted  its  own  Confession  of  Faith  and  P'orm 
of  Government.  The  former  is  the  same  as  that  which  was 
ac'opted  by  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  India  at  its  organization 
in  1904.  with  the  addition  of  the  Shorter  Catechism  as  the 
(Tatechism  of  the  Church.  The  Form  of  Government  follows 
largely  that  ac’opted  in  India,  but  introducing  several  features 
which  are  an  outgrowth  of  our  already  developed  policy  in 
Korea.  Few  other  churches  in  history  have  enrolled  so  many 
members  during  the  first  few  years  of  their  existence,  and  few 
today  have  brighter  jmospects.  It  is  ungenerous  and  indicative 
of  a lack  of  faith  in  both  humanity  and  God  to  take  a pessimis- 
tic view  of  its  future.  Let  us  rather  be  led  to  new  devotion  by 


95 


the  modern  manifestation  of  that  child-like  faith  which  the 
Master  himself  pronounced  a condition  of  entrance  into  the 
Kingdom  ol  Heaven. 

CHINA. 

The  Problem  of  New  Life  in  an  Old  Empire. 

Much  has  been  written  about  the  awakening  of  China,  but  it 
is  difficult  to  comprehend  the  stupendous  transformation  that  is 
taking  place.  When  a people  numbering  nearly  a third  of  the 
human  race  and  occupying  a tenth  of  the  habitable  globe  begin 
to  move,  one  may  ask  with  a wonder  not  unmixed  with  awe; 
Whither?  The  Boxer  uprising  of  1900  marked  the  transition 
between  the  old  and  the  new.  China  now  welcomes  a reorgan- 
ization of  methods  which  she  then  fanatically  resisted.  Knowl- 
edge and  inventions,  whiph  western  nations  obtained  by  degrees 
and  which  they  could  therefore  gradually  assimilate,  have  pour- 
ed into  Qiina  all  at  once  in  a surging  flood,  and  the  people  are 
naturally  bewildered.  History  affords  no  parallel  to  the  situa- 
tion, unless  it  may  be  in  the  upheaval  of  mediaeval  society  which 
followed  the  Crusades.  That  upheaval  resulted  in  the  rise  of 
modern  Europe,  and  it  may  well  be  that  the  vaster  transforma- 
tion which  is  now  taking  place  in  China  will  issue  in  a new  Asia. 
A few  facts  will  illustrate  the  startling  changes  in  this  ancient 
Empire. 

In  1876,  China  had  only  fourteen  miles  of  railway:  in  1881 
there  were  144  miles;  in  1889,  566;  and  now  there  are  6,300, 
while  additional  lines  have  been  surveyed.  A dozen  years  ago, 
the  telegraph  service  connected  only  a few  cities  near  the  coast, 
and  the  telephone  was  unknown.  Now,  40,000  miles  of  wire 
reach  all  the  principal  centers  of  population,  and  hundreds  of 
yamens  are  ecpiipped  with  telephones.  The  postal  system,  which 
was  established  twelve  years  ago,  has  made  rapid  growth.  The 
number  of  pieces  handled  has  increased  as  follows:  1904,  66,- 
000,000;  1905,  76,500.000;  1906,  113,000,000;  1907,  168,000,- 
000;  1908,  252,000.000.  The  number  of  post  offices  increased 
from  2.803  in  1907  to  3,493  in  1908.  The  postal  routes  now  in 
operation  cover  no  less  than  88,000  miles. 

Prior  to  the  Boxer  upnising,  there  was  no  vernacular  press, 
except  a few  small  publications  in  Peking  and  one  or  two  port 
cities.  News  was  communicated  by  word  of  mouth  or  by  pla- 
cards posted  on  walls.  Over  200  Chinese  newspapers  are  now 
published,  and  their  circulation  is  large  and  rapidly  growing. 
The  official  class.  Which  at  first  paid  little  attention  to  them,  has 
recently  awakened  to  the  influence  which  they  are  exerting,  and 
within  the  last  year  a number  of  the  more  influential  journals 
have  been  bought  up  or  subsidized  by  men  connected  with  the 

G 


96 


provincial  governments.  This  may  not  prove  to  be  a wholesome 
change,  for  these  journals  were  actively  promulgating  reform. 
Their  future  utterances  will  probably  be  more  carefully  guard- 
ed. 

The  Chinese,  who  invented  the  art  of  printing  by  movable 
type  five  hundred  years  before  it  was  known  in  Europe,  are 
free!}’  using  the  improved  methods  of  western  nations  and  job 
presses  are  springing  up  all  over  the  Empire.  I may  note  here 
that  these  native  presses  are  seriously  affecting  our  Mission 
Press  in  Shanghai.  Its  facilities  have  been  greatly  enlarged 
since  my  former  visit  in  1901.  The  office,  salesroom  and  store- 
room remain  at  the  old  location  in  the  heart  of  the  city.  The 
new  manufacturing  plant  several  miles  away  was  being 
started  in  the  midst  of  an  uninhabited  swamp  when  I saw 
the  place  before.  It  now  includes  bandsome  buildings 
with  modern  machinery;  but  instead  of  being  out  in  the 
country,  it  is  in  the  centre  of  a fine  residence  sec- 
tion of  Shanghai,  so  rapid  has  been  the  growth  of  the  city  in 
that  direction.  The  Board  is  aware  that  the  Central  China  Mis- 
sion, at  its  meeting  in  1908.  gave  careful  consideration  to  the 
new  problems  which  are  affecting  the  Press,  and  that  the  Mis- 
sion proposed  a plan  of  reorganization  which  was  afterward 
approved  by  the  Board.  There  are  still  questions,  however, 
which  need  consideration  and  which  the  new  China  Commission 
might  well  consider.  They  are  not  peculiar  to  our  Press,  but 
affect  to  a greater  or  less  degree  the  presses  of  other  Boards  in 
the  Far  East.  The  Chinese  and  Japanese  have  developed  mark- 
ed facility  for  job  printing.  Mission  presses  cannot  compete 
with  them  on  an  even  financial  basis,  and  this  for  three  reasons; 
First,  the  native  press  does  not  have  expensive  foreign  super- 
vision ; second,  it  employs  cheaper  labor : third,  it  does  not  have 
to  do  the  unprofitable  work  which  every  mission  press  is  com- 
pelled to  do.  The  latter  must  produce  tracts  and  periodicals 
for  use  in  Christian  work,  some  of  which  have  to  be  given  awav 
or  sold  bel(  w cost,  while  some  of  the  books  that  are  required 
cannot  now  be  .sold  in  sufficient  quantities  to  be  commercially 
profitable.  Tlie  time  has  not  yet  come  when  we  can  dispense 
with  our  Press  or  limit  the  scope  of  its  operations.  It  is  an 
enormous  influence  for  good  in  China,  an  indispensable  part  of 
our  missionary  equipment ; but  each  year  its  position  becomes 
more  difficult. 

Its  chief  competitor  is  “The  Commercial  Press,  Limited,”  of 
Shanghai.  This  Press  was  started  twelve  years  ago  by  Chris- 
tian Chinese,  who  had  learned  the  trade  while  employed  by  our 
Mission  Press.  After  a time,  these  young  and  ambitious  Chinese 
naturally  wanted  to  go  into  business  for  themselves.  They 


97 


therefore  left  our  employ  and  opened  a small  job  printing  shop 
near  by.  By  skill  and  diligence,  their  business  soon  increased. 
W hen  the  new  government  system  of  education  was  adopted 
and  foreign  text-books  were  called  for,  the  managers  were  en 
terprising  enough  to  foresee  the  opportunity.  The\  enlarged 
their  plant  and  began  to  turn  out  the  desired  books.  Today,  this 
Press  is  the  largest  in  all  Asia,  employing  over  one  thousand 
hands,  all  of  them  Chinese  except  about  a dozen  Japanese.  It 
is  equipped  with  the  latest  and  best  German,  English  and  Amer- 
ican machinery.  It  has  a capital  of  $1,000,000,  one-third  of 
which  is  held  by  Japanese  and  two-thirds  by  Chinese  It  uses 
not  only  Chinese  paper,  but  stock  imported  from  Austria,  Swe- 
den, England  and  Japan,  chiefly  from  Austria  and  Sweden.  It 
has  opened  twenty  branch  presses  in  various  cities  of  China. 
It  is  managed  on  the  co-operative  plan,  sharing  profit.-,  with  its 
employees.  The  net  profits  are  divided  into  twenty  parts.  Five 
of  these  are  distributed  among  the  employees,  ten  go  to  the 
share-holders,  three  to  the  reserve  fund,  and  two  to  the  schools 
of  children  of  employees,  to  sick  and  injured  employees  and 
the  widows  and  orphans  of  those  who  have  died.  The  net 
profits  di.stributed  in  these  ways  last  year  were  $200,000  Mex. 
It  is  gratifying  to  know,  not  only  that  the  managers  of  this 
great  institution  are  Christian  men,  but  that  of  the  three  foun- 
ders and  present  managers,  one  is  the  son-in-law  and  the  other 
two  are  sons  of  the  first  pupil  of  our  boarding  school  at  Ning- 
po.  The  head  of  every  important  department,  except  one,  is  a 
Christian,  and  sixty  per  cent,  of  the  men  who  are  in  responsible 
positions  are  Christians.  This  Press  now  issues  most  of  the 
text-books  used  in  the  Government  schools  and  a large  propor- 
tion of  the  bank  notes  which  are  in  circulation.  It  would  be 
small  and  narrow  indeed  to  begrudge  the  success  of  such  an 
institution  or  lament  that  it  makes  the  position  of  our  own 
Press  more  difficult. 

One  of  the  remarkable  events  in  China  is  the  beginning  of 
constitutional  government.  September  20,  1907.  an  imperial 
edict  provided  for  the  establishment  of  a National  Assembly  of 
ministers  at  Peking  to  consider  questions  affecting  the  interests 
of  the  State.  Ten  days  later,  another  edict  ordered  the  ap- 
pointment of  town  councils  and  local  representatives ; and  Octo- 
ber 18,  a third  edict  directed  the  establishment  of  Provincial 
Assemblies.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  China  is  providing  for  a 
graded  system  of  representative  bodies  from  town  councils  to 
Provincial  and  National  Assemblies,  the  members  of  the  Na- 
tional Assembly  at  Peldng  being  selected  by  the  Provincial  As- 
semblies. The  qualifications  for  membersliip  are  partly  prop- 
erty and  partly  educational.  Any  male  who  has  property 


98 


amounting  to  5.000  taels,  or  who  holds  a degree  under  the  old 
examination  system,  or  who  has  been  graduated  from  a gov- 
ernment middle  or  high  school,  may  be  chosen. 

October  14,  1909.  was  a memorable  day  in  the  history  of 
China,  for  it  signalized  the  opening  of  the  first  of  the  Provincial 
Assemblies.  All  of  the  vernacular  papers  gave  the  event  large 
space,  and  two  appeared  with  their  first  pages  printed  in  Ver- 
million to  commemorate  the  auspicious  occasion. 

These  Assemblies  were  of  varying  qualities.  It  would  not 
have  been  reasonable  to  e.xpect  that  the  first  popular  bodies  in 
an  ancient  nation  would  be  characterized  by  eminent  wisdom  or 
unity.  Some  of  the  assemblies  did  little  that  was  of  value. 
Others  addressed  themselves  seriously  to  the  task  before  them, 
and  in  many  there  were  individual  members  who  showed  ability 
and  courage.  All  things  must  have  a beginning  and  pass 
through  a period  of  development.  The  Chinese  Provincial  As- 
semblies are  not  likely  to  be  exceptions  to  a rule  which  western 
nations  have  conspicuously  illustrated.  But  the  movement  is 
full  of  hoj)e  for  the  future  of  China.  It  is  certain  to  stimulate 
new  ideas  which,  once  promulgated,  are  not  likely  to  be  for- 
gotten. 

The  language  is  being  adapted  to  the  changing  conditions. 
A young  missionary  writes : “There  are  six  of  us  studying 
Chinese  together.  Our  teachers  tell  us  that  we  must  pay  more 
attention  than  is  usually  given  to  the  new  words  now  coming 
into  use.  I do  not  mean  the  host  of  scientific  terms  being  turn- 
ed into  Chinese ; but  the  miscellaneous  phrases  coined  chiefly 
since  1900  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  new  style  of  thought.  These 
expressions  have  gained  currency  mainly  through  the  news- 
papers. and  so  we  go  to  the  newspapers  to  find  them,  rather 
than  to  the  sinologues  whose  vocabularies  were  acquired  in 
ante-Boxer  days.  There  is  one  new  word  that  everybody  glibly 
recites  to  the  inquiring  newcomer ; it  is  the  word  for  an  ideal, 
meaning  literally,  ‘the  thing  you  have  your  eye  on.’  A fit  com- 
panion to  this  is  a new  wav  of  speaking  of  a man's  purpose  in 
life:  ‘his  magnetic  needle  points  in  such  and  such  a direction.' 
A group  of  new  expressions  with  the  following  meanings : 
society,  reform,  the  public  good,  constitutional  government, 
])rotection  of  life,  taking  the  initiative,  removing  obstructions, 
to  volunteer  one’s  services,  indicate  the  direction  in  which  the 
winds  of  thought  are  blowing  in  China.  The  newspapers  now 
have  a word  meaning  rotten  which  they  apply  freely  to  manda- 
rins, to  the  army,  to  schools  and  to  things  in  general.  Freedom 
of  religion  is  another  new  phrase  in  Chinese  : .so  is  a term  mean- 
ing to  educate  as  distinguished  from  to  instruct.  The  use  of 
the  latter  was  illustrated  by  a distinguished  Chinese  (not  a 


99 


Giristian)  when  he  declared  that  tlie  Y.  M.  C.  A.  school  in 
Tien-tsin  was  better  than  the  Confucian  schools,  because  it  edu- 
cates its  pupils,  develo])ing  them  both  in  morals  and  knowledge; 
whereas  the  Chinese  practice  is  to  hand  out  chunks  of  learning 
and  ethical  advice  for  the  pupils  to  swallow  or  not  as  they 
choose.” 

The  new  life  that  is  stirring  the  people  affects  women  as  well 
as  men.  A writer  in  a Hong  Kong  journal  says:  “Not  the 
most  optimistic  or  enthusiastic  revolutionary,  who  from  the 
view-point  of  twenty  years  ago  looked  forward  to  the  changes 
that  then  seemed  impending,  would  have  dared  to  prophesy  an 
overturning  and  recasting  so  complete  as  that  which  now  meets 
the  gaze  in  certain  aspects  of  social  and  political  life  in  China. 
Few  things  have  been  more  ra])id  or  more  startling  than  the 
emancipation  of  women,  and  the  acquiescence  of  officials  and 
other  responsible  leaders  among  the  people  in  the  position  of 
women  as  a leading  factor  in  public  life.  The  Orientalized 
woman  in  the  chief  centres  of  intellectual  activity  is  a creature 
of  the  past.  She  is  becoming  every  year  more  Occidental  in  re- 
spect to  the  position  claimed  by  her,  and  accorded  to  her,  as  a 
figure  in  the  new  world,  where  she  is  ultimately  to  achieve  vic- 
tory in  every  conflict  for  the  rights  of  her  sex  in  the  advanced 
and  progressive  commonwealth.  National  spirit  in  its  most  po- 
tent forms,  working  for  good  or  for  evil,  is  raised  to  the  high- 
est plane  of  effectiveness  when  it  dominates  womanhood." 

A remarkable  meeting  of  women  in  Canton  in  1908  is  de- 
scribed as  follows  by  a correspondent  of  The  China  Mail : "The 
meeting,  convened  in  connection  with  the  difficulty  between 
Qiina  and  Japan,  was  a unique  one,  and  is  responsible  to  a very 
great  e.xtent  for  the  growing  strength  of  the  boycotting  move- 
ment. The  proceedings  were  conducted  in  a perfectly  orderly 
manner,  and  stirring  addresses  were  made  for  four  hours.  The 
weather  conditions  were  wholly  adverse;  but  notwithstanding 
the  drenching  rain  that  fell  continuously,  fully  ten  thousand 
women  came  together  at  the  place  of  meeting.  For  the  first 
time  in  the  history  of  this  great  commercial  centre,  the  main 
thoroughfaies  were  kept  open  by  properly  appointed  police,  told 
oft'  for  the  duty  of  regulating  the  traffic  in  order  to  facilitate  the 
progress  of  the  wives  and  daughters  of  its  citizens  to  a meeting 
in  which  they  were  to  vindicate  their  claim  to  be  heard  in  in- 
dignant protest  against  national  injustice  and  wrong.  Leaving 
out  of  account  the  merits  of  the  question  at  issue,  we  say  ad- 
visedly that  there  never  was  a more  significant  function  in  its 
bearing  on  the  future  of  a nation  than  the  women’s  mass  meet- 
ing in  Canton.” 


lOO 


One  more  quotation  from  The  China  Mail  may  be  of  interest : 
‘Tn  matters  educational  in  China,  it  is  of  special  significance 
to  note  that  schemes  of  magnitude,  which  hold  in  them  possi- 
bilities such  as  the  most  sanguine  never  contemplated  until 
within  the  past  decade,  are  now  come  to  be  regarded  as  every- 
day events  within  the  sphere  of  the  common-place.  Thus  we 
find  notice  of  a memorial  to  the  Throne  from  the  Board  of 
Education,  asking  that  $70,000  be  devoted  to  found  in  the  Capi- 
tal a normal  school  for  the  training  of  women  teachers,  the 
.school  to  be  maintained  by  an  annual  grant  from  the  Govern- 
ment of  $40,000.  The  feature  of  this  memorial  which  makes  it 
essentially  of  the  new  time  is  the  proposal  to  spend  year  by 
year  so  considerable  a sum  in  providing  for  female  education.’’ 

One  recalls  the  significant  statement  of  \'iceroy  Yuan  Shih 
Kai,  shortlv  before  his  retirement  from  office:  “The  most  im- 
portant thing  in  China  just  now  is  that  the  women  be  edu- 
cated.” Increasing  numbers  of  Chinese  women  are  unbinding 
their  feet,  and  the  movement  has  the  support  of  the  Govern- 
ment and  of  many  daily  papers. 

Proposals  have  even  been  made  for  cutting  the  queue  and 
adopting  foreign  dress.  Those  who  memorialized  the  Throne 
on  the  subject  based  their  objections  to  the  queue  on  the  faci 
that  it  is  unsanitary  and  inconvenient,  and  that  it  exposes  Chin- 
ese to  the  ridicule  of  foreigners.  The  Prince  Regent  feared 
that  the  nation  was  hardly  ready  for  such  drastic  changes  and 
rejected  the  proposal;  but  there  are  many  who  believe  that  the 
days  of  the  queue  are  numbered.  A large  majority  of  the  Chi- 
nese in  the  United  States  have  cut  off  their  queues,  a step  which 
no  Chinese  could  have  taken  a dozen  years  ago  without  being 
ostracised  by  his  countrymen. 

A notable  movement  toward  reform  in  personal  habits  is  the 
anti-opium  crusade.  The  opium  habit  has  long  been  the  curse 
of  China.  The  missionary,  who  has  inaugurated  every  moral 
reform  in  China  during  the  last  hundred  years  and  whose  teach- 
ings have  been  the  chief  cause  of  the  awakening  of  the  Chinese 
mind,  deser\es  the  credit  of  inaugurating  this  reform  also.  The 
memorial  of  twelve  hundred  Protestant  missionaries,  presented 
through  a friendly  Mceroy  to  the  Throne  in  1906,  resulted  in 
the  now  famous  Imperial  edicts  of  September,  1906,  l\Iay  and 
June,  1907,  and  March,  1908.  Those  who  know  how  often 
Chinese  edicts  have  been  simply  high-sounding  declarations 
which  were  never  carried  out  were  naturally  skeptical  about 
the  eff  ect  of  this  one ; especially  as  it  dealt  with  the  favorite  in- 
dulgence of  many  millions  of  Chinese,  as  thousands  of  the  offi- 
cials who  would  have  to  enforce  it  locally  were  themselves  vic- 
tims of  the  habit,  and  as  the  vice  itself,  once  fairly  established 


TOI 


in  a man’s  life,  creates  pathological  conditions  wliich  make  its 
cure  extremely  difficult.  Great  were  the  surprise  and  gratifica- 
tion, therefore,  when  China  set  itself  to  the  task  with  a vigor 
and  success  which  leave  no  doubt  as  to  its  sincerity.  It  is  true  that 
some  officials  are  indifferent  or  hostile  to  the  reform ; but  when 
evidence  of  their  failure  to  enforce  the  law  is  presented  in  high 
quarters,  punishment  is  so  swift  and  drastic  that  officials  every- 
where get  a wholesome  impression  as  to  what  is  likely  to  hap- 
pen to  them  if  they  are  not  careful.  The  suspension  from  office 
of  two  Princes  convinced  lesser  magistrates  throughout  the 
Empire  that  no  mercy  would  be  shown  to  them.  Thousands  of 
acres,  which  were  formerly  devoted  to  the  cultivation  of  the 
poppy,  now  grow  grain  and  vegetables.  Innumerable  opium 
dens  have  been  closed.  Enormous  quantities  of  paraphernalia 
have  been  burned,  5,000  pipes  being  publicly  consumed  in 
Hang-chou  at  one  time.  Sir  John  Jordan,  British  Minister  to 
China,  wrote  to  his  Government  some  time  ago : “China  has  not 
hesitated  to  deal  with  a question  which  a European  nation, 
with  all  the  modern  machinery  of  government  and  the  power 
of  enforcing  its  decision,  would  probably  have  been  unwilling  to 
face."  She  has  lost  about  forty  millions  in  revenue  from  the 
opium  traffic,  “a  far  more  serious  question,”  says  Sir  John  Jor- 
dan, “in  the  present  state  of  the  Chinese  national  exchequer, 
than  the  similar  problem  with  which  the  Indian  Government 
will  have  to  deal  in  sacrificing  the  opium  revenue." 

The  deaths  of  the  Emperor  and  the  Empress  Dowager,  No- 
vember 14,  1908,  resulted  in  some  disquieting  developments. 
The  former  had  little  power,  but  the  latter  was  a woman  of  ex- 
traordinary force  of  character.  The  capture  of  her  capital  by 
the  allied  armies  in  1900  convinced  her  that  China’s  age-long 
policy  of  isolation  and  resistance  to  outside  influences  could  no 
longer  be  maintained,  and  she  amazed  her  subjects  by  com- 
manding some  of  the  very  reforms  which  she  had  punished  the 
progressive  young  Emperor  for  encouraging  in  1898.  Under 
her  leadership,  counselled  by  Yuan  Shih  Kai  and  Chang  Chih 
Tung,  China  was  being  swiftly  reconstructed.  How  much  she 
really  desired  the  new  era  is  a disputed  question ; but  at  any 
rate  she  was  shrewd  enough  to  direct  what  she  could  not  quell. 
Her  death  therefore  caused  considerable  uncertainty  as  to  the 
future.  Would  the  progressives  or  the  reactionaries  dominate? 

Many  people  question  whether  the  passing  of  the  Emperor 
was  due  to  natural  causes.  The  Empress  Dowager  had  been 
the  real  ruler  of  China,  and  she  had  surrounded  herself  with 
high  officials  who  were  loyal  to  her  and  whom  the  helpless  Em- 
peror did  not  love.  It  was  plain  that  the  atmosphere  of  Peking 
would  not  be  conducive  to  the  longevity  of  these  officials  if  the 


102 


Empress  Dowager’s  death  were  to  leave  the  Emperor  in  a posi- 
tion to  wreak  his  vengeance  on  those  who  had  long  humiliated 
him.  His  health  had  long  been  frail  and  his  death  may  have 
been  a normal  one.  Xo  one  can  prove  that  it  was  not,  for  pal- 
ace secrets  are  closely  guarded  in  China.  But  few  believe  that 
so  opportune  a demise  was  a mere  coincidence./  j 

The  successor  to  the  throne  was  the  baby  son  of  Prince  Chun, 
a brother  of  the  Emperor ; the  Prince  himself  becoming  Prince 
Regent.  The  latter  will  therefore  be  the  real  ruler  of  China 
for  a long  period.  1 le  is  a young  man  who  is  supposed  to  have 
good  intentions.  He  has  had  a better  opportunity  than  his 
predecessors  to  see  the  rest  of  the  world ; for  it  was  he  who  was 
sent  to  Germany  in  1901  as  Imperial  Commissioner  to  apolo- 
gize for  the  murder  of  the  German  Alinister  in  Peking  in  June, 
1900.  Many  stories  are  current  about  the  energy  and  demo- 
cratic tendencies  of  the  Prince  Regent,  and  he  is  personally 
popular.  Thus  far,  however,  he  has  shown  little  evidence  of 
the  masterful  leadership  which  China  needs  at  this  transition 
period.  Instead  of  conciliating  the  rapidly  growing  feeling  of 
the  Chinese  that  they  ought  to  have  a larger  voice  in  the  man- 
agement of  their  national  affairs,  he  has  more  openly  concen- 
trated power  in  the  hands  of  the  Manchus. 

One  of  his  first  acts  was  the  summary  dismissal  of  Yuan 
Shih  Kai,  who,  after  having  been  promoted  from  the  Governor- 
ship of  Shantung  to  the  Vice-Royalty  of  Chih-li,  had  become  a 
Grand  Councillor  of  the  Empire.  This  was  not  unexpected,  for 
every  one  knew  that  the  family  of  the  late  Emperor  hated  him 
for  his  part  in  the  events  which  led  to  the  virtual  imprisonment 
of  the  Emperor  in  the  coup  d’etat  of  1898.  It  was  a foregone 
conclusion  that  he  would  be  one  of  the  first  to  suffer  when  the 
support  of  the  Empress  Dowager  was  withdrawn  by  death ; 
although  there  were  not  wanting  those  who  hoped  that  the 
Prince  Regent  would  not  go  so  far  as  to  degrade  the  most  pow- 
erful subject  in  the  Empire.  If  the  youthful  Prince  Regent 
hesitated  at  all,  the  animosity  of  the  late  Empress  overcame  his 
scruples.  The  method  adopted  was  in  accord  with  the  finest 
traditions  of  Chinese  “face.”  The  Prince  Regent  issued  a 
statement  in  January,  1909,  expressing  his  profound  solicitude 
that  so  distinguished  a subject  as  His  Excellency  Yuan  Shih 
Kai  was  suffering  from  rheumatism  in  his  leg,  and  tlie  concern 
that  the  Imperial  heart  felt  because  it  would  be  necessary  for 
so  useful  a servant  of  the  Throne  to  retire  to  private  life  for  a 
time,  in  order  to  gain  relief  from  pain  and  to  restore  his  impair- 
ed energies.  With  true  Oriental  courtesy  and  dignity.  Yuan 
Shih  Kai,  who  was  in  excellent  health,  laid  down  his  great  office 


103 


and  went  to  his  estate  not  far  from  Shunte-fn,  where  he  is  now 
quietly  living  and  on  a modest  scale. 

The  diismissal  of  Yuan  Shih  Kai  deprived  China  of  her  ablest 
and  best  statesman,  the  one  who  was  best  fitted  to  counsel  the 
new  Government  at  this  critical  period.  Some  relief  was  felt 
when  it  was  learned  that  his  successor  was  the  capable  and 
broad-minded  head  of  the  Imperial  Chinese  Commission  which 
visited  America  in  1906,  \'iceroy  Tuan  Fang.  As  he  is  a 
Manchu,  it  was  supposed  that  his  official  life  would  be  more  se- 
cure, and  much  was  hoped  from  his  progressive  leadership.  His 
removal  in  October,  1909,  deepened  the  anxiety  of  all  true 
friends  of  China  as  to  the  future  course  of  the  Empire.  What 
can  be  expected  of  a country  which  disgraces  its  best  and 
strongest  leaders? 

Another  serious  loss  was  the  death  of  the  veteran  Chang  Chin 
Tung,  October  4,  1909.  He  also  was  a Grand  Councillor  of  the 
Empire,  and  had  long  shared  with  Yuan  Shih  Kai  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  the  wisest  and  ablest  of  China’s  progressive  states- 
men. His  book,  “China’s  Only  Hope,”  was  a remarkable  de- 
liverance and  caused  a profound  impression.  It  is  said  that 
when  he  passed  away,  the  Prince  Regent  knelt  beside  his  bier 
and  wept  bitterly.  It  was  an  evil  day  for  China  when  it  was 
deprived  of  such  leadership,  and  thus  far  there  is  faint  reason 
for  believing  that  men  of  equal  grade  are  likely  to  be  found. 

The  consequence  is  that,  politically,  China  is  in  confusion. 
Xo  one  is  in  control.  The  local  Governors  and  Viceroys  are 
less  amenable  than  ever  to  the  central  authority  at  Peking.  The 
younger  men  who  have  gained  a smattering  of  western  learning 
are  voluble  and  headstrong.  The  common  people  are  becoming 
more  restless.  With  all  the  changes  that  are  taking  place  in  the 
thought  and  life  of  the  nation  as  the  result  of  the  inrush  of  new 
ideas,  it  is  a serious  thing  to  have  the  central  Government  weak- 
ened. Not  for  a long  time  has  the  opportunity  for  successful 
revolt  been  so  good  as  it  is  today,  and  what  the  future  may 
bring  forth,  no  one  knows.  Our  late  Secretary  of  State,  John 
Hay,  would  have  added  reason  now  to  repeat  the  warning  which 
he  uttered  not  long  before  his  death : “The  political  storm- 
center  of  the  world  has  shifted  steadily  westward  from  the  Bal- 
kans, from  Constantinople,  from  the  Persian  Gulf,  from  India, 
to  China ; and  whoever  understands  that  Empire  and  its  people 
has  a key  to  world-politics  for  the  next  five  centuries." 

The  Japanese  are  eager  to  counsel  the  Chinese  in  this  forma- 
tive period.  For  two  or  three  years  after  the  Russia-Japan 
War,  their  prestige  was  great,  and  China  appeared  to  be  willing 
to  follow  the  ambitious  islanders.  Japanese  advisers  were  influ- 
ential in  shaping  Chinese  military  and  political  affairs,  and 


104 


thousands  of  Chinese  students  flocked  to  Japan  for  instruction. 
But  recently  the  sentiment  of  the  Chinese  has  undergone  a 
marked  change.  The  Chinese  are  of¥ended  by  the  assumption 
of  superiority  which  has  characterized  the  Japanese  since  their 
victory  over  Russia.  The  number  of  Qiinese  students  in  Japan 
has  dwindled  from  approximately  15,000  to  4,000.  It  should 
be  said  that  the  larger  number  included  many  who  rushed  to 
Japan  in  the  first  enthusiasm  which  followed  the  Russia-Japan- 
ese  War,  and  that  the  present  number  is  composed  of  more 
earnest  and  intelligent  men.  But  Japanese  agents  who  are  try- 
ing to  influence  China's  policy  find  themselves  rebuffed.  Dis- 
cussing this  subject  with  an  educated  Chinese  gentleman,  he 
said  rather  contemptuously:  ‘‘Japan  is  too  small  and  too  poor 
to  help  China,  either  in  finance  or  in  war,  and  her  people  are  so 
immoral  that  contact  with  them  would  be  harmful  rather  than 
helpful  to  the  Chinese.  China  wants  the  best  there  is  in  the 
world,  and  as  all  nations  are  now  open  to  her,  she  can  get  the 
best.  Why  should  we  take  ideas  from  Japan  when  the  differ- 
ence between  China  and  Japan  and  China  and  Europe  or  Amer- 
ica is  only  the  difference  between  six  days  and  fourteen  days  ? 
What  are  eight  days,  especially  when  they  mean  superior  influ- 
ences?” When  a well-meaning  foreigner  proposed  a memorial 
service  in  Shanghai  after  the  assassination  of  Prince  Ito.  Chi- 
nese who  were  consulted  opposed  it  so  strongly  that  the  projec- 
was  abandoned.  They  declared  that  they  saw  no  reason  why 
Chinese  should  honor  a Japanese  statesman,  and  particularly 
one  who  represented  the  Asiatic  ambitions  of  Japan. 

The  traveller  wearily  wishes  that  the  reform  movement 
would  extend  to  the  currency,  but  Chinese  individualism  still 
reigns  supreme  in  finance.  Japan,  Korea,  India  and  the  Philip- 
pines now  have  a uniform  currency  on  a gold  basis,  but  Chi- 
nese currency  is  still  in  primeval  chaos.  Its  varieties  are  enough 
to  give  a traveller  nervous  prostration.  Each  important  center 
has  its  own  coins,  which  are  either  not  good  at  all  elsewhere  or 
are  accepted  only  at  discount.  Peking  money  is  not  good  in 
Shanghai,  aiul  Tien-tsin  money  is  not  good  in  Hankow.  Even 
bank  notes  of  such  standard  institutions  as  The  Hong  Kong 
and  Shanghai  Banking  Corporation  and  the  Yokohama  Specie 
Bank  are  sometimes  refu-sed  outside  the  territory  of  the  branch 
which  issued  them.  A branch  of  one  of  these  banks  in  one 
city  will  usually  charge  a discount  on  its  own  issue  by  another 
branch.  The  traveller  may  have  his  money  refused  as  he  at- 
tempts to  buy  a railroad  ticket  just  before  the  departure  of  a 
train,  unless  he  has  taken  the  precaution  to  go  to  a money  ex- 
changer and  secure  the  local  currency.  If  he  seeks  to  avoid 
difficulty  by  carrying  the  silver  Mexican  dollar,  which  is  more 


generally  accepted  than  any  other  coin  in  Qiina,  he  must  be 
careful  to  see  that  he  has  the  particular  kind  of  Mexican  which 
is  accepted  in  that  locality.  As  these  Mexican  dollars  are  large 
and  heavy  and  worth  about  43  or  44  cents  gold,  it  is  no  small 
undertaking  to  carry  many  of  them  around.  Even  if  the  trav- 
eller has  obtained  the  right  ones,  he  will  find  that  shop-keepers 
and  ticket-agents  will  test  each  separate  coin  to  make  sure  that 
it  is  not  counterfeit.  Some  of  my  Mexican  dollars  were  re- 
jected, although  I had  been  careful  to  get  my  dollars  at  a reli- 
able bank.  Usually  the  coin  turned  out  to  be  all  right,  but  it  is 
difficult  to  persuade  a suspicious  agent  while  a train  is  waiting. 

If  the  traveller  leaves  the  beaten  routes  and  goes  into  the  in- 
terior, he  will  probably  discover  that  bank-notes  are  regarded 
as  worthless  bits  of  paper,  and  that  the  people  insist  upon  silver 
or  cash.  Tlie  latter  is  a copper  coin  of  varying  size,  with  a 
square  hole  in  the  center.  A thousand  are  supposed  to  equal  a 
Mexican  dollar.  They  come  an  strings  of  a hundred,  and  the 
price  of  an  article  is  so  many  "strings  of  cash.”  These  strings 
are  almost  invariably  short  several  pieces,  while  other  pieces 
are  counterfeits.  Twenty  dollars’  worth  of  cash  will  load  a 
coolie,  and  a hundred  dollars  worth  a donkey.  The  best  way 
to  carry  money  in  the  villages  is  in  bullion  silver.  This  can  al- 
ways be  sold  to  local  money  changers  for  a supply  of  coins 
which  are  good  in  that  particular  neighborhood. 

Confusion  is  still  further  confounded  by  the  fluctuating  value 
of  silver.  There  is  no  governmental  guarantee  of  fixed  value. 
A Chinese  silver  coin  is  worth  simply  the  market  value  of  the 
silver  at  the  time  it  is  offered,  and  this  rises  and  falls  with  the 
price  of  silver  in  the  world’s  markets. 

Chinese  who  spend  their  lives  in  or  near  their  home  towns  are 
not  concerned  by  this  problem,  but  the  traveller  finds  the  ques- 
tion a very  annoying  one.  The  railways  are  encouraging  the 
Chinese  to  move  about  more  freely  than  formerly,  so  that  there 
is  an  increasing  number  of  Chinese  who  are  beginning  to  appre- 
ciate the  advantages  of  a uniform  currency.  Reform,  how- 
ever, will  be  slow,  for  the  present  confusion  is  profitable  to 
three  powerful  classes : bankers,  officials  and  money 

changers.  There  is  big  profit  in  exchange  when  every  traveller 
has  to  get  his  money  turned  into  some  other  currency.  High 
officials  are  enriched  by  a system  which  permits  \ iceroys  and 
Governors  to  mint  and  even  to  counterfeit  their  own  coins.  It 
will  probably  be  about  as  difficult  to  get  the  Chinese  Govern- 
ment to  adopt  a uniform  currency  as  it  is  to  get  a real  revision 
of  the  tariff  through  an  American  Congress.  Those  who  are 
beneficiaries  of  the  existing  system  are  numerous,  and  they 
have  strong  financial  reasons  for  resisting  reform. 


io6 


ATTITUDE  OF  OFFICIALS  TOWARD  MISSIONARIES. 

The  attitude  of  the  governing  classes  toward  the  missionary 
enterprise  has  undergone  some  change.  At  first,  officials  re- 
garded missionaries  and  their  work  with  a suspicion  which  in- 
cluded an  element  of  contempt.  Tliey  did  not  understand  why 
missionaries  came.  The  idea  that  white  men  would  incur  so 
much  trouble  and  expense  from  disinterested  motives  seemed 
preposterous.  Ulterior  designs  were  invariably  suspected,  and 
these  designs  were  ordinarily  believed  to  be  of  a political  char- 
acter. dliis  belief  was  strengthened  by  the  open  alliance  of 
Roman  Catholic  missionaries  with  the  political  ambitions  of 
France:  while  the  number  of  times  that  British,  German  and 
.American  diplomatic  and  consular  officials  pressed  questions 
affecting  I’rotestant  missionaries  and  their  property  brought 
the  latter  under  the  same  suspicion.  Native  officials  seldom 
knew  the  difference  between  Roman  Catholic  and  Protestant 
missionaries.  They  simply  knew  that  missionaries  were  at 
work ; and  when  complaints  were  sent  in,  the  reports  usually 
failed  to  specify  the  affiliations  of  the  alleged  offenders.  The 
consequence  was  that  Protestant  missionaries  generall}'^  shared 
in  the  odium  which  the  policy  of  the  Roman  Catholic  mission- 
aries developed. 

I am  not  criticising  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  ; I am  simply 
referring  to  the  well-known  historical  fact  that  the  policy  of 
that  Church  in  .Asia  is  more  aggressive  in  property  matters 
and  in  support  of  converts  who  are  involved  an  law-suits  than 
the  policy  of  Protestant  Societies.  Tlie  result  is  that  Roman 
Catholics  have  stirred  up  antagonisms  which  Protestant  mis- 
sionaries usually  avoid.  The  Chinese  are  now  beginning  to  see 
this.  Several  times,  officials  spoke  to  me  with  considerable  feel- 
ing of  the  embarrassments  which  the  Roman  Catholic  policy 
frequent!}'  involves  and  they  appreciatively  referred  to  the  fact 
that  Protestant  missionaries  refuse  to  interfere  with  political 
questions  or  to  support  converts  against  whom  lawsuits  are 
pending. 

The  Imperial  edict  of  Alarch  15,  1899,  which  gave  official 
rank  to  Roman  Catholic  priests  and  bishops  and  which  was 
a source  of  great  irritation  to  the  Chinese,  was  rescinded  in 
1908.  The  forty  bishops  and  1,100  priests  in  China  now  have 
the  same  relation  to  the  Government  as  Protestant  mission- 
aries ; or  rather,  Roman  Catholics,  like  Protestants,  have  no 
official  relation  to  the  Government  at  all.  Time  has  thus  vin- 
dicated the  wisdom  of  Protestant  missionaries  in  declining  the 
official  status  which  was  offered  to  them  as  well  as  to  Roman 
Catholics  when  the  French  Minister  at  Peking  extorted  the 
privilege  from  the  Government  in  1899. 


107 


Many  officials  understand  Protestant  missionaries  far  better 
than  they  did  a dozen  years  ago.  Instances  of  personal  friend- 
ship are  much  more  numerous.  Prefects,  Taotais,  Governors 
and  \’iceroys  have  visited  mission  schools  and  hospitals  and 
manifested  keen  interest.  In  the  fall  of  1907,  twentv-five  iffis- 
sionaries  representing  various  Boards  were  in  conference  at 
Tsinan-fu.  the  capital  of  the  Province  of  Shantung,  and  inquir- 
ed whether  the  Governor  would  receive  a committee  of  three 
to  pav  respects  in  behalf  of  the  conference.  He  replied  that  he 
would  be  glad  to  have  the  missionaries  call  in  a body.  When 
they  did  so.  they  were  received  with  everv  mark  of  cordiality. 
The  Governor  returned  the  call  the  following  day,  accom- 
panied by  a number  of  high  officials  and  a military  escort,  and 
he  invited  all  the  missionaries  to  a feast  at  his  yamen  the  same 
evening.  There  he  again  received  the  missionaries  with  every 
honor.  The  feast  was  served  in  foreign  style  and  would  have 
done  credit  to  any  hotel  in  the  home  land.  The  Governor  made 
an  address,  in  which  he  .spoke  in  high  terms  of  the  work  of  the 
missionaries  and  the  help  which  they  were  giving  in  many  ways 
to  his  people.  This  was  the  official  who,  while  holding  a high 
position  in  the  Province  of  Shan-si  during  the  Boxer  Uprising, 
was  commanded  by  his  Governor,  Yu  Hien,  notorious  for  the 
murder  of  seventy  missionaries,  to  kill  all  the  missionaries  re- 
siding in  his  district.  He  promptly  assembled  forty  mission- 
aries. but  sent  them  under  military  escort  to  a place  of  safety, 
saying  that  he  could  not  kill  good  and  law-abiding  men  and 
women. 

On  a steamer  off  the  coast  of  China.  I noted  that  a fellow* 
passenger  was  a Chinese  official  whose  dress  and  retinue  indi- 
cated rank.  As  soon  as  he  learned  that  I was  from  New  York 
and  connected  with  Presbyterian  mission  work,  be  eagerly  in- 
(|uired  wdiether  I knew'  a Aliss  Rogers.  \Vhen  I replied  that  I 
did,  he  expressed  gratification,  explaining  that  many  years  ago, 
when  he  was  connected  wdth  the  consular  service,  he  had  studi- 
ed English  in  New  York  under  Miss  Rogers.  He  spoke  of  her 
with  marked  respect  and  gratitude,  and  asked  me  to  take  her 
his  card  and  a message  of  remembrance.  He  was  not  a Chris- 
tian, but  his  conversation  indicated  that  be  had  received  from 
Miss  Rogers  an  impression  of  missionary  character  and  pur- 
pose wdiich  made  him  sympathetic,  and  he  frankly  allowed  the 
resultant  influence  upon  his  own  life. 

It  was  arranged  that  I should  meet  the  \dce-Presidtnt  of  the 
Imperial  Board  of  Education  in  Peking.  At  the  appointed  time 
I drove  to  his  official  residence,  in  company  with  the  Rev.  J. 
Walter  Lowrie,  D.D.,  and  the  Rev.  M’illiam  Gleysteen.  No 
sooner  had  we  entered,  than  the  \dce-President  recognized  Dr. 


io8 


Lowrie  with  evident  pleasure,  inquired  about  the  health  of  his 
mother,  expressed  deep  sympathy  when  he  learned  that  she  was 
dead,  and  asked  many  questions  regarding  Dr.  Lowrie  and  his 
friends  in  Paoting-fu.  It  appeared  that  many  years  ago.  when 
this  Chinese  gentlemam  who  is  a Hanlin  scholar  of  the  highest 
rank,  visited  a friend  in  Paoting-fu.  he  was  suddenly  taken  ill, 
and  that  he  was  treated  for  several  months  by  our  missionary 
physician  at  that  time.  Dr.  George  Yardley  Taylor.  It  would 
be  unfair  t(-  represent  the  \'ice-President  as  a Christian  or  as 
expressing  any  interest  in  Christianity;  but  I was  impressed  by 
the  fact  that  he  had  come  -into  such  personal  contact  with  our 
missionaries  at  Paoting-fu  that  he  had  formed  a favorable 
opinion  of  their  character  and  worth. 

It  would  be  easy  to  cite  other  instances  of  sympathetic  com- 
prehension of  Protestant  missionaries  and  their  work.  But 
taking  the  official  class  throughout  the  Empire,  it  must  be  ad- 
mitted that  it  is  still  suspicious  and  resentful.  The  suspicion  is 
not  so  often  mingled  with  contempt  as  it  was  formerly;  it  is 
now  more  often  mingled  with  fear.  Official  China  believes  that 
the  success  of  the  missionary  enterprise  would  be  subversive  of 
some  of  the  most  sacred  and  time-honored  customs  of  the  Em- 
l)ire.  particularly  of  ancestral  worship  and  that  reverence  for 
Confucius  and  his  teachings  to  which  China  clings  as  tenaci- 
ously as  ever.  These  officials  are  not  blind  to  the  growing  num- 
bers and  power  of  the  Missions  and  the  Chinese  Churches,  and 
they  are  beginning  to  be  apprehensive  lest  the  Christian  move- 
ment may  attain  larger  proportions  than  they  had  at  first  deem- 
ed possible. 

Mr.  Hoste,  Director  of  the  China  Inland  Mission  in  Shang- 
hai, told  me  that  the  reports  which  he  was  receiving  from  the 
China  Inland  Mission  missionaries  throughout  the  Empire,  and 
they  are  more  widely  scattered  than  the  missionaries  of  any 
other  Board,  are  to  the  general  eflfect  that  there  is  a distinct 
hardening  of  attitude  on  the  part  of  the  official  class,  an  ap- 
parent forgetfulness  of  the  lessons  of  the  Boxer  L’^prising,  and 
a disposition  to  hamper  missionarv  work.  A British  Consul, 
who  has  spent  a quarter  of  a centurv  in  China  and  to  whom  I 
([noted  this  opinion,  said  that  it  was  in  accord  with  his  experi- 
ence and  observation  ; that  the  anti-foreign  spirit  of  the  Chi- 
nese official  class  is  increasing  rapidly,  and  that  the  people  are 
becoming  more  unfriendly.  An  American  Consul  assented  to 
this,  and  added  that  “refonn  is  simply  to  get  equipment  which 
will  enable  China  to  fight  the  West.” 

Officials  in  various  parts  of  the  Empire  are  again  demanding 
statistics  of  missionary  work  and  blank  forms  for  this  purpose 
have  been  distributed.  The  Government  apparently  desires  to 


109 


have  exact  facts  regarding  the  whole  Christian  movement  in 
China.  One  may  speculate  at  will  as  to  the  reason  for  this.  It 
is  not  unreasonable  for  any  Government  to  desire  precise  in- 
formation regarding  the  religious  bodies  within  its  jurisdiction. 
The  United  States  Government  collects  such  data  for  its  cen- 
sus reports.  Perhaps  the  Chinese  Government  has  no  othei 
object  in  calling  for  similar  information.  It  goes  farther,  how- 
ever, when  it  asks  the  names,  residences,  occupations  and  pos- 
se.ssions  of-  Christians,  the  salaries  of  all  church  and  mission 
officers  and  employees,  for  what  objects  mission  money  is  ex- 
pended, and  how  much  is  applied  to  those  objects.  It  is  difficult 
for  one  who  knows  the  situation  in  Gtina  and  who  understands 
the  attitude  and  temperament  of  Chinese  officials  as  a class  to 
restrain  the  fear  that  the  motive  in  calling  for  all  these  details 
is  not  whollv  friendly,  and  that  if  such  information  regarding 
the  property  and  incomes  of  converts  is  on  file  at  the  various 
Yamens,  it  miglit  be  used  for  sinister  purposes.  It  does  not 
necessarily  follow  that  this  information  is  being  obtained  for 
deliberatelv  hostile  uses;  but  it  will  readily  be  seen  that  if  dis- 
turbances should  occur  again,  Christians  will  be  marked  men 
and  women.  W henever  Chinese  revolutionists  wish  to  make 
trouble  for  the  Government  or  for  some  local  official,  they  are 
apt  to  begin  by  attacking  Christians.  This  is  partly  because 
they  hope  in  this  manner  to  embroil  the  officials  with  their  su- 
periors, and  partly  because  the  resultant  confusion  and  exciter 
ment  offer  cover  under  which  plotters  mav  advance  to  other 
ends.  Mr.  Evan  Morgan  writes  in  The  Chinese  Recorder: 

“What  shoi'ld  he  the  attitude  of  the  missionary  in  responding  to  these 
requests  for  information?  We  'might  take  precedents  as  a guide  in 
finding  an  answer.  I recall  two  instances  when  a like  request  was 
made.  One  was  immediately  before  the  Boxer  Outbreak.  The  reply 
was  niade  that  the  Church  was  not  a political  institution,  and  therefore 
had  no  need  of  official  recognition.  .Another  request  was  made  after 
the  Boxer  trouble.  The  names  of  Christians  and  the  number  of  church 
members  were  demanded.  Reply  was  made  that  as  the  Church  was  only 
a brotherhood  for  spiritual  edification,  there  was  no  need  to  give  official 
cognizance  to  its  members,  and  it  was  useless  to  give  the  number  of 
Christians  in  various  districts  as  it  constantly  varied.  To  the  request 
that  the  missionaries  should  state  their  own  names  and  the  value  of 
their  houses  and  personal  property,  the  names  were  given,  and  the 
magistrate  was  invited  to  put  any  value  he  liked  on  the  buildings,  as 
they  were  always  open  for  his  inspection ; but  as  to  personal  property, 
it  was  pointed  out  that  his  Honor  was  exceeding  the  limits  of  courtesy 
and  law.  A British  minister  supported  the  legitimacy  of  these  views, 
and  I think,  they  will  be  found  to  be  consistent  with  justice  and  Chinese 
practice  and  law.” 

It  seems  to  me  that  the  fact  that  an  unfriendly  purpose  is 
suspected  does  not  justify  refusal  to  comply  with  an  official  re- 
quest. We  cannot  quarrel  with  a Government  which  is  seeking 
information  within  its  own  jurisdiction.  The  Chinese  author- 


no 


ities  have  the  right,  which  governments  everywhere  have,  of 
knowing  what  is  taking  place  among  their  people,  especially 
when  a given  movement  like  Christianity  is  reported,  however 
falsely,  to  be  at  variance  with  'national  customs  and  observances 
which  the  Government  expects  all  its  subjects  to  maintain.  We 
could  gain  nothing  hut  sus])icion  and  ill-will  bv  refusal ; for  offi- 
cials could  secure  the  information  through  their  own  agents 
anyway. 

But  a distinction  between  missionaries  and  Chinese  Chris- 
tions  may  be  fairly  taken.  \\'e  have  nothing  to  conceal  re- 
garding ourselves  or  our  ])roperty  and  institutions.  Let  the 
officials  know  all  they  wish  about  our  schools  and  hospitals  and 
the  missionaries  themselves.  We  publish  essential  facts  on 
these  subjects  in  our  annual  reports,  whic*h  we  would  be  glad  to 
have  the  officials  read.  It  might  be  well  to  do  as  Mr.  Hoste, 
Director  of  the  China  Inland  Mission,  did — simply  send  the 
official  a copy  of  the  report  with  a pleasant  note  stating  that  he 
woul  1 doubtless  find  in  it  the  information  he  desired.  It  is 
(juite  another  thing  for  the  missionary  to  pry  into  the  private 
afifairs  of  Chinese  Christians,  or  to  betray  to  anc'  one  informa- 
tion regarding  personal  matters  which  he  may  have  accidentally 
obtained  in  the  confidence  of  missionary  relationship.  The  Chi- 
ne.se  Government  should  deal  with  its  own  subjects  directly 
and  not  through  foreigners.  It  is  sufficient  therefore  if  the 
missionary,  in  sending  information  regarding  himself  and  his 
work,  courteously  adds  that  he  has  no  control  over  the  private 
affairs  of  Chinese.  Christian  or  non-Christian,  and  that  he  is 
unable  therefore  to  report  regarding  them  further  than  to  refer 
to  the  general  statistics  which  may  be  found  on  pages  so  and 
■SO  of  the  printed  report  of  the  Mission,  a copy  of  which  is  sent 
herewith,  etc. 

The  exclusion  of  Chinese  graduates  of  mission  schools  from 
the  new  Provincial  Assemblies  is  another  disquieting  sign. 
There  has  been  much  speculation  as  to  the  cause  of  this  action ; 
but  some  reasons  are  apparent.  To  the  average  Chinese  offi- 
cial, Christianity  is  still  the  foreigner’s  religion.  He  .sees  that 
the  mission  schools  are  controlled  bv  foreigners,  and  he  sus- 
pects that  Chinese  who  have  been  trained  in  them  have  been 
educated  away  from  things  Chinese  and  have  allied  themselves 
with  aliens  who  are  trying  to  overthrow  the  worship  of  Con- 
fucius and  to  subvert  national  customs.  He  therefore  naturally 
hesitates  to  permit  Chinese  of  this  alleged  type  to  make  laws 
for  China  and  to  advise  the  Government  in  political  matters. 
This  consideration  is  intensified,  in  some  places  at  least,  by  the 
fact  that  some  graduates  of  mission  schools  are  men  of  such 
superior  capacity  that  they  would  probably  exert  dispropor- 


Ill 


tionate  influence  in  the  Provincial  Assemblies.  The  Chinese 
will  learn  in  time  that  men  trained  in  onr  schools  are  as  loyal 
and  patriotic  as  any  men  in  the  Empire,  and  that  they  are  far 
more  trustworthy  than  others. 

It  should  be  noted,  however,  that  the  attitude  of  the  Chinese 
people  as  a whole,  both  among  officials  and  common  people,  is 
anti-foreign  as  well  as  anti-Christian,  and  that,  as  a rule,  it  is 
more  anti-foreign  than  anti-Christian.  The  victory  of  Japan 
over  Russia,  which  had  been  regarded  by  the  Chinese  as  the 
most  powerful  of  western  nations,  the  extension  of  railways 
and  telegraphs,  the  multiplication  of  newspapers  and  post 
offices,  the  ferment  of  new  ideas,  and  the  social,  economic  and 
intellectual  changes  which  are  taking  place,  are  giving  the  Chi- 
nese a new  sense  of  unity  and  of  national  .self-consciousness. 
They,  like  the  Japanese,  are  more  and  more  disposed  to  resent 
the  leadership  of  foreigners.  They  feel  an  irritation,  which  we 
should  be  reasonable  enough  to  understand,  in  realizing  that 
the  new  railway  thoroughfares  of  the  country  are  largely  in 
the  hands  of  outsiders.  Only  1,930  miles  of  the  6,300  in  the 
Empire  are  under  Chinese  control.  Russians  hold  1,077  miles, 
Belgians  903,  Japanese  702,  Germans  684,  English  608,  and 
French  396.  China  is  determined  to  put  an  end  to  this,  and  the 
Government  not  only  refuses  to  grant  any  more  railway  con- 
cessions to  foreigners,  but  the  Chinese  are  buying  existing  con- 
cessions as  fast  as  they  can.  They  propose  to  manage  their 
own  railways,  operate  their  own  mines  and,  in  general,  manage 
their  own  affairs. 

The  Chinese  Recorder  for  January,  1910,  declares  that  “the 
indiscriminate  anti-foreign  agitation  which  is  being  urged  for- 
ward by  many  restless  spirits  in  China  is  among  the  most  seri- 
ous signs  of  possible  disturbance  to  the  Empire.  The  tone  of 
certain  recent  popular  pamphlets,  which  have  been  disseminated 
in  some  provinces,  shows  that  the  most  unscrupulous  methods 
are  being  used  in  order  to  stir  up  the  minds  of  the  ignorant 
mass  of  the  people  against  all  foreigners  in  China.  Statements 
regarding  an  official  decision  on  the  part  of  the  western  powers 
to  divide  up  Chinese  territory  have  been  invented,  and  other  wil- 
ful misstatements  put  into  circulation  with  no  other  than  mis- 
chievous intent.  Here  is  one  of  the  greatest  dangers  attendant 
upon  China’s  political  reforms.  If  the  officials  of  the  Empire 
were  wise,  they  would  see  to  it  that  no  such  agitation  as  this 
anti-foreign  movement  were  permitted  room  to  live ; it  cannot 
help  but  lead  to  national  disaster  if  its  vicious  course  proceeds 
unchecked,  and  in  the  final  result  officialdom  will  not  suffer 
least.” 

H 


II2 


As  I am  writing  these  pages,  cable  despatches  announce  riots 
in  Chang-sha,  in  the  Province  of  Hunan,  in  which  the  mob  de- 
stroyed not  only  the  mission  compounds,  but  the  Governor's  Ya- 
men ; and  while  the  missionaries  had  to  fly,  the  loss  of  life 
among  the  Chinese  themselves  is  reported  to  be  large.  There 
has  not  been  time  for  letters  to  arrive,  but  as  far  as  one  can 
judge  from  telegraphic  reports  to  the  daily  press,  the  tumult 
was  caused  partly  by  scarcity  of  food,  partly  by  the  inportation 
of  workmen  from  another  district  to  build  the  British  consulate, 
and  partly  by  a general  state  of  irritability ; and  the  fury  of  the 
rioters  was  wreaked  indiscriminately  upon  natives  and  for- 
eigners alike. 

It  is  evident  that  the  modern  forces  which  are  now  operating 
in  China  have  brought  the  Chinese  people  to  the  parting  of  the 
ways,  and  that  troubled  days  may  be  ahead.  The  situation  is 
one  which  calls  not  for  depression  and  wavering,  but  for  a 
stronger  faith  and  courage  and  for  efifort  on  a larger  scale.  Our 
legal  rights  are  clear  under  Article  XI of  the  Treatv  between 
the  United  States  and  China  for  the  extension  of  the  commer- 
cial relations  between  them,  signed  Oct.  8.  1903,  and  which 
reads : 

“The  principles  of  the  Christian  religion,  as  professed  by  the  Protes- 
tant and  Roman  Catholic  Churches,  are  recognized  as  teaching  men  to 
do  good  and  to  do  to  others  as  they  would  have  others  do  to  them. 
Those  who  quietly  profess  and  teach  these  doctrines  shall  not  be 
harassed  or  persecuted  on  account  of  their  faith.  Any  person,  whether 
citizen  of  the  United  States'  or  Chinese  convert,  who.  according  to  these 
tenets,  peaceably  teaches  and  practices  the  principles  of  Christianity 
shall  in  no  case  be  interfered  with  or  molested  therefor.  No  restric- 
tions shall  be  placed  on  Chinese  joining  Christian  churches.  Converts 
and  non-converts,  being  Chinese  subjects,  shall  alike  conform  to  the 
laws  of  China : and  shall  pay  due  respect  to  those  in  authority,  living 
together  in  peace  and  amity;  and  the  fact  of  being  converts  shall  not 
protect  them  from  the  consequences  of  any  offence  they  may  have  com- 
mitted before  or  may  commit  after  their  admission  into  the  church,  or 
exempt  them  from  paying  legal  taxes  levied  on  Chinese  subjects  gener- 
ally, except  taxes  levied  and  contributions  for  the  support  of  religious 
customs  and  practices  contrary  to  their  faith.  Missionaries  shall  not 
interfere  with  the  exercise  by  the  native  authorities  of  their  jurisdiction 
over  Chinese  subjects;  nor  shall  the  native  authorities  make  any  distinc- 
tion between  converts  and  non-converts,  but  shall  administer  the  laws 
without  partiality  so  that  both  classes  can  live  together  in  peace. 

‘Alissionary  societies  of  the  United  States  shall  be  permitted  to  rent 
and  to  lease  in  perpetuity,  as  the  property  of  such  societies,  buildings 
or  lands  in  all  parts  of  the  Empire  for  missionary  purposes,  and,  after 
the  title  deeds  have  been  found  in  order  and  duly  stamped  by  the  local 
authorities,  to  erect  such  suitable  buildings  as  may  be  required  for 
carrying  on  their  good  work.” 

Legal  right.s  in  mi.ssionary  work,  however,  are  like  legal 
right.s  in  the  marriage  relation — the  less  often  they  are  invoked 
the  better.  Missionaries  did  not  go  to  China  because  treaties 


permitted  them  to  go;  they  went  long  before  any  tieaty  was 
mentioned  to  them,  and  the  motives  which  impel  them  are  inde- 
pendent of  governmental  conventions.  Let  us  not  be  dismayed 
by  signs  of  tumult.  “If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us?’’ 
"Ve  shall  hear  of  wars  and  rumors  of  wars,"  said  Christ  to  his 
disciples  ; “see  that  ye  be  not  troubled ; for  all  these  things  must 
come  to  pass,  but  the  end  is  not  yet.  ^ . .lie  that  shall  en- 
dure unto  the  end,  the  same  shall  be  saved.  . . . And  this 
gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  all  the  world  for  a 
witness  unto  all  nations." 

PROGRESS  OF  CHRISTIAN  WORK. 

Amid  all  the  tumult  and  confusion  incident  to  the  new  life 
which  is  stirring  the  Empire,  the  Gospel  is  steadily  pressing  its 
way.  The  story  of  its  struggles  and  triumphs  is  one  of  the  most 
fascinating  in  all  the  history  of  the  Church.  The  contrast  since 
my  former  visit  in  1901  was  startling.  Then  there  were  less 
than  100,000  Protestant  Christians  in  China.  Our  station 
plants  at  Peking,  Paoting-fu  and  W’ei-hsien  were  in  ruins,  while 
the  buildings  at  Ichow-fu  and  Tsinan-fu  had  been  looted.  The 
fires  of  the  Boxer  Uprising  were  still  smouldering,  though  the 
I period  of  actual  violence  had  passed.  The  women  of  the  North 

I China  and  West  Shantung  Missions  were  huddled  in  Peking 

and  the  East  Shantung  ports.*  Some  of  the  men  had  returned 
I to  the  interior  stations,  bnt  they  were  living  in  temporary 
quarters  and  in  much  discomfort.  Everyone  was  discouraged 
and  appalled  by  the  apparent  ruin  of  the  work  and  the  massacre 
of  beloved  associates.  Many  of  the  Chinese  Christians  had  been 
! murdered.  Some  of  the  survivors  were  scattered  no  one  knew 
where,  and  the  few  that  could  be  found  were  depressed  and 
poverty-stricken.  It  was  pitiful  to  look  into  their  faces  and 
heart-rending  to  hear  the  stories  of  what  they  had  suffered. 
The  allied  armies  of  Europe  and  America  had  crushed  the 
Boxer  Uprising,  but  the  people  were  sullen  and  ugly.  At  home, 
too,  there  was  a renewed  outbreak  of  criticism  and  of  hostility 
to  all  missionary  effort.  Many  believed  that  the  missionary  en- 
terprise in  China  had  received  a blow  from  which  it  would 
never  recover.  No  Chinese,  it  was  said,  would  ever  again  con- 
fess Christ. 

How  diff  erent  the  situation  today ! Our  destroyed  stations 
at  Peking,  Paoting-fu  and  Wei-hsien  have  been  rebuilt  on  a 
larger  scale  than  before,  and  they  are  now  among  our  best 
equipped  plants.  Every  station  that  had  to  be  abandoned  has 
been  reoccupied,  property  that  was  not  destroyed  has  been  put 
in  order,  new  buildings  have  been  added,  and  the  missionary 
force  has  been  increased.  ^Missionaries  travel  freely  through 


every  part  of  the  countr)'  from  which  they  were  driven  by  the 
Boxers.  More  Chinese  have  been  baptized  during  these  eight 
years  than  in  half  a century  preceding  the  Boxer  Uprising.  The 
Rev.  J.  Campbell  Gib.son,  D.D.,  noted  a wider  contrast  at  the 
Centenary  Conference  of  1907;  ‘‘The  great  achievement  of  the 
first  century  of  Protestant  Missions  in  China  has  been  the 
planting  of  the  Chinese  Church.  A vast  amount  of  contribu- 
tory work  has  been  done, — evangelistic,  pastoral,  educational, 
medical,  literary,  social, — and  a large  experience  has  been  gain- 
ed which  should  enable  us  to  direct  all  these  with  growing 
precision  and  force  to  the  attainment  of  their  ends.  A great 
multitude  of  men,  women  and  children  have  been  led  into  light, 
and  we  nee  1 not  doubt  that  tens  of  thousands  have  been  born 
again. 

“Xow  at  the  end  of  the  century  there  is  a Church  of  at  least 
iSo,ooo  communicants,  which  implies  a Christian  community 
of  some  640,000  souls  who  have  chosen  the  service  of  Christ, 
besides  some  120.000  children  and  young  people  who  are  grow- 
ing up  in  the  same  holy  fellowship. 

“This  body  of  750,000  Christians,  with  its  equipment  of 
gathered  spiritual  exi)erience,  of  Bible,  hymnology  and  Chris- 
tian literature,  its  places  of  worship,  its  churches,  schools,  col- 
leges, hospitals  and  printing  presses,  its  ordinances  of  worship, 
its  discipline  of  prayer,  and  itsTabits  of  family  and  personal 
religion,  with  its  martyrolog}',  and  its  gathered  memories  of 
gracious  living  and  holy  dying — this  is  the  wonderful  fruit 
which  one  hundred  years  have  left  in  our  hands.” 

Dr.  Gibson's  figures  were  those  of  three  years  ago.  The 
present  number  of  adult  communicants,  exclusive  of  Roman 
Catholics,  is  placed  by  good  judges  at  more  than  260,000,  be- 
sides a great  number  of  enrolled  inquirers.  Not  less  than  400,- 
000  people  call  themselves  Christians  in  China  today. 

The  past  year  has  been  marked  by  .some  remarkable  mani- 
festations of  spiritual  power.  The  revival  in  the  Aits’  College 
of  the  Shantung  Christian  University,  at  W'ei-hsien  in  April, 
1909.  was  one  of  the  most  hopeful  movements  in  the  history  of 
missions.  It  began  quietly  and  continued  without  any  artificial 
efiforts  to  work  up  excitement.  l\Ir.  H.  M'.  Luce  writes : “The 
various  committees  of  the  College  Y.  1\I.  C.  A.  had  done  their 
work  with  marked  faithfulness.  Meetings  were  exceptionally 
well  attended  and  good  interest  shown  in  Bible  work.  One  or 
two  sermons  were  preached  on  the  power  and  joy  of  the  life 
surrendered  to  God.  On  two  Sunday  evenings  preceding  Pas- 
tor Ding's  arrival,  there  were  meetings  where,  in  resj.'onse  to  a 
simple  announcement,  about  eighty  men  gathered  for  prayer. 


The  character  of  these  meetings  was  such  that  w'e  did  not  doubt 
that  Jehovah  was  going  forth  to  victory.”  • 

One  of  the  graduates  of  the  College,  the  Rev.  Ding  Lee  IMay, 
began  special  services  March  30th.  Mr.  Luce  continues: 

“A  room  for  personal  interviews  was  prepared.  The  work  in  this 
room  became  one  of  the  main  features  of  the  meetings.  After  the  first 
day,  it  had  grown  to  such  an  e.xtent  that  all  college  e.xercises  were  set 
aside  for  two  days.  The  first  two  chapel  meetings  seemed  to  be  with- 
out special  results;  but  a sermon  on  ‘The  Duties  of  the  Watchman’ 
struck  home  and  led  seven  of  our  seniors,  the  flower  of  the  class,  to 
give  their  lives  to  the  ministry.  An  hour’s  prayer  meeting  was  held 
each  morning  at  six-thirty,  preaching  service  at  ten  and  again  at  two- 
thirty.  In  the  evening,  there  was  a general  service  for  all  on  the  com- 
pound, including  the  students  in  the  girls’  school,  convalescents  in  the 
ho.spitals  and  church  members.  This  was  the  daily  programme.  Mr. 
Ding  became  physically  exhausted  the  third  day,  but  the  meetings  were 
continued  by  others,  and  it  was  soon  seen  that  the  power  of  the  meet- 
ing was  not  of  men.  In  response  to  an  early  suggestion,  students  were 
asked  not  to  enter  the  main  College  building  and  Converse  Science 
Hall  unless  for  the  purpose  of  Bible  study  or  prayer.  When  meetings 
were  not  going  on,  the  various  rooms  of  these  buildings  were  in  con- 
stant use  by  individuals  or  by  groups  praying  or  studying  the  Bible. 
The  personal  interviews  in  Pastor  Ding’s  room  continued.  The  number 
of  those  deciding  for  the  ministry  increased  to  twenty  and  then  to 
thirty.  Some  of  us,  familiar  with  the  early  days  of  the  Student  Volun- 
teer iMovement  in  the  United  States,  began  to  urge  caution.  Still  the 
list  grew.  There  seemed  to  be  no  undue  excitement  of  any  kind,  no 
adequate  outward  manifestation  of  emotion.  The  number  increased  to 
sixty  and  then  to  eighty.  There  seemed  to  be  no  legitimate  way  to  stop 
the  tide,  and  there  was  no  reason  for  so  doing  except  the  largeness  of 
the  number  being  added  to  the  list.  Saturday  night,  Mr.  Ding  was  able 
to  conduct  a ‘witness  meeting’  in  which  those  who  had  decided  for  the 
ministry  gave  their  reason.  Only  one  man  wept,  and  none  broke  down. 
But  all  were  conscious  of  a closeness  of  approach  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
such  as  they  had  never  known  before.  This  spirit  continued  through 
Sunday  with  unbated  strength,  and  it  was  found  that  116  had  volun- 
teered for  the  ministry.  The  number  of  the  students  in  the  College  is 
300  and  in  the  .Academy  eighty.  It  is  a mighty  challenge  to  the  young 
Church  in  Shantung,  as  indeed  it  is  to  the  Church  at  home,  that  they 
fail  not  in  prayer  and  aid  at  such  a time  as  this.” 

This  revival  promises  more  for  the  Kingdom  of  God  than 
any  otlier  wliich  China  has  seen,  for  the  men  xVliom  it  led  to  a 
decision  will  go  out  as  Christian  ministers  to  lead  multitudes 
of  their  own  people.  We  need  not  assume  that  every  one  will 
do  this.  Some  may  change  their  minds,  and  some  may  be  found 
unsuitable  for  the  ministry;  but  if  no  more  than  half  shall  be 
ordained,  the  addition  of  such  a body  of  highly  educated  men 
to  the  ministry  of  the  Chinese  churches  will  be  a splendid  rein- 
forcement. 

The  revival  in  the  Shantung  Christian  University  is  not  the 
only  one  which  China  has  recently  witnessed.  Much  might  be 
said  about  the  great  awakening  in  Alanchuria  in  connection 
with  the  preaching  of  Mr.  Goforth,  of  the  Canadian  Presby- 


ii6 


terian  Church.  The  pamphlet,  “Times  of  Blessing  in  Man- 
churia,” recounts  stirring  experiences.  During  the  past  year, 
Mr.  Goforth  conducted  services  in  twenty-eight  centers  in  dif- 
ferent sections  of  China.  He  was  fittecl  for  his  special  work 
by  a residence  of  many  years  in  China  and  fluent  command  of 
the  Chinese  language.  In  Nanking,  the  meetings  w'ere  held  in  a 
tent  which  accommodated  1,200  people ; but  the  interest  was  so 
great  that  1,400  and  even  1.500  people  were  crowded  into  it.  The 
usually  impassive  Chinese  broke  down  completely  before  the 
marked  presence  of  the  Holy  Sjiirit,  and  scenes  were  witnessed 
which  missionaries  of  a generation  ago  w'ould  have  deemed  al- 
most incredible.  Conversion  was  invariably  accompanied  by 
confession  of  sin,  and  many  instances  of  restitution  proved  the 
sincerity  of  repentance.  At  Kai-ting,  in  the  far  west  of  China, 
the  meetings  were  characterized  by  such  spiritual  power,  and 
by  such  changes  in  the  lives  of  converts,  that  non-Christian 
Chinese  on  the  streets  said  to  one  another;  “The  Christian’s 
God  has  come  down."  In  the  Province  of  Shan-si  “waves  of 
confession  and  prayer  j)assed  over  the  congregations,  and  the 
very  atmosphere  seemed  charged  with  Pentecostal  influence. 
One  man  confessed  that  during  the  Boxer  uprising  a large  sum 
of  money  was  sent  by  the  foreigners  in  Ping  Yang-fu  to  a mis- 
sionary who  afterwards  died.  The  money  was  hidden  for 
safety  in  the  court-yard  of  a native  Christian.  Pie  dug  it  up 
and  used  it ; and  now  after  the  lapse  of  years  he  made  full  con- 
fession. .\s  one  of  the  humble  hearers  said:  “The  Holy  Spirit 
surely  has  come.” 

The  Chinese  Recorder  for  .September  (1909)  describes  a re- 
vival in  Hing-hwa  in  the  P^rovince  of  P'uh-kien,  which  was  sig- 
nalized by  like  power.  .Among  the  converts  were  members  of 
a firm  of  importers  of  morphine,  who  brought  their  entire  stock 
to  the  house  of  God  and  turned  it  over  to  the  pastor  to  be  de- 
stroyed. The  church,  which  seats  a thousand  people,  could  not 
accommodate  the  throngs  that  attended. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Hunter  Corbett  writes  of  another  revival:  “The 
members,  wishing  to  have  the  blessing  extended  to  other  cen- 
ters, invited  pastors  and  leading  members  of  churches  in  all 
the  surrounding  country  to  come  and  receive  a spiritual  uplift 
that  they  might  return  to  their  homes  and  help  others.  The 
Church  sending  the  invitations  subscribed  liberally  to  pay  for 
the  entertainment  of  the  guests.  The  members  of  a Training 
School  for  Bible  Women  recpiested  that  each  might  be  per- 
mitted to  fast  three  times  a week  for  a month,  and  that  the 
money  saved  be  paid  into  the  entertainment  fund.  Later,  in 
scores  of  places,  jiastors  began  to  pray,  first  for  a revival  in 
their  own  hearts  and  then  in  the  Church  and  community;  and 


tlie  prayers  were  answered.  One  pastor  wrote  of  the  revival 
in  liis  Church  that  the  voice  of  praise  and  the  cry  of  penitent 
confession  mingled  together.  More  than  one  hundred  men  and 
women  were  confessing  their  sins  with  weeping.  Daily  meet- 
ings, twice  a day  for  fifty  days,  had  prepared  the  large  company 
to  expect  great  things  from  God.  Thousands  instead  of  hun- 
dreds, as  were  expected,  were  present.  Saturday  night  a count 
was  made  and  4,800  found.  Sunday  night  there  were  four 
simultaneous  meetings,  aggregating  between  6,000  and  7,000.  At 
another  centre,  the  revival  was  preceded  by  more  than  a hun- 
dred assembling  for  four  days  waiting  upon  the  Lord.” 

The  Rev.  Charles  E.  Scott,  of  Tsing-tau,  writes  as  follows  of 
a tour  which  he  made  in  company  with  three  Chinese,  a minis- 
ter, a teacher  and  an  elder : 

“Four  of  us  tramped  to  our  farthest  out-station.  Under  the  sultry 
noon  sun,  we  climbed  a long  hill.  From  its  summit  we  counted  thirty- 
live  villages,  encircling  the  one  for  which  we  were  bound.  The  little 
elder,  under  strong  feeling,  cried  out;  ‘Pray!  Pray!’  He  led  us  stand- 
ing. When  we  had  finished  our  wrestling  with  the  Lord,  we  were  all 
flat  I’lpon  our  faces.  But  we  knew  that  in  that  hour  the  Spirit  had  ener- 
gized us  to  win  His  battle  in  that  centre.  On  our  arrival,  the  little  group 
of  Christians  who  lived  in  that  village  were  so  cold  and  indifferent  that 
none  came  to  see  us,  though  the  entire  population  knew  we  had  arrived. 
Those  few  days  were  days  of  testing  for  us:  And  then  we  had  to  leave, 
in  order  to  traverse  several  hundred  li  before  the  convening  of 
Presbytery.  Arrived  again  at  the  summit  of  our  prayer-nvount,  we  be- 
sought the  Lord,  as  did  Abraham  for  the  unworthy  cities  of  the  plain, 
resolving  to  return  again  for  a series  of  revival  services  beginning  on 
-Ascemsion  day.  What  results?  We  pitched  a big  tent  at  a nearby  vil- 
lage in  which  every  five  days  a big  market  is  held.  Not  only  on  the 
market  days,  but  each  day,  the  tent  was  filled  with  people  eagerly  listen- 
ing at  each  of  the  three  sessions.  The  Christians  themselves'  got  a great 
blessing.  They  went  out  with  us  in  groups  of  two  and  three,  and 
preached  the  Gospel  in  the  surrounding  villages.  They  participated  with 
us  in  street  preaching  at  the  markets,  and  helped  to  get  the  crowds  to 
the  tent-meetings.  Some  3,000  people  in  the  groups  heard  the  Gospel 
among  the  villages,  and  twice  that  number  in  the  tent.  It  mattered  not 
that  often  there  the  air  was  choking  wdh  dust : the  people  listened.  One 
afternoon  when  a Christian  and  I were  out  in  a village,  a wind  blew' 
up  fierce  and  hot;  but  all  the  afternoon  men  crowded  into  that  dirty, 
ill-smelling  room  to  hear  the  Gospel.  When  the  wind  slackened,  the 
entire  village  ' as  it  seemed — patriarchs,  middle  aged  and  youth — 
sat  or  stood  around  us  in  the  dusty  main  street  to  hear  the 
Word.  Each  group  of  workers  reported  the  same  experience  of  eager, 
willing  listeners.” 

.And  still  the  work  goes  on.  As  I am  writing  these  pages,  let- 
ters come  from  Ichou-fu  station  of  onr  West  Shantung  Mission, 
from  which  I make  the  following  extracts  ; 

“For  a long  time,  things  have  seemed  at  a dead  stand-still  in  Tchou-fu, 
and  those  most  interested  in  the  Gospel  have  been  praying  for  an  awak- 
ening of  interest.  It  was  almost  with  fear  and  trembling  that  we  looked 
forward  to  the  coming  of  the  Chinese  evangelist.  Pastor  Ding,  in  Janu- 


ii8 


ary.  There  seemed  so  many  difficulties  in  the  way.  The  time  was  un- 
seasonable, being  the  last  month  of  the  Chinese  calendar,  when  the 
people  are  busiest.  The  church  elders  shook  their  heads.  Then,  too, 
the  weather  was  very  cold  and  the  roads  unusually  bad  owing  to  deep 
snow,  and  we  feared  that  but  few  of  the  country  Christians  whom  we 
had  invited  would  be  able  to  come.  You  see  our  hope  was  small  and 
our  faith  not  great. 

"However,  on  the  very  day  of  Pastor  Ding’s  arrival,  surprises  began. 
All  day  long  the  question  was  : ‘How  many  country  Christians  have 

come  ?’  At  first,  twenty-eight ; that  was  very  good,  we  had  not  expected 
as  many.  Then  the  number  went  up  to  fifty;  we  were  surprised.  By 
nightfall  there  were  one  hundred.  We  opened  our  eyes  wide  and  said. 
'How  can  this  thing  be?  Whoever  heard  of  Chinese  traveling  on  such 
roads  as  these?’ 

"So  the  meetings  began.  Pastor  Ding  is  an  exceptional  character. 
He  is  humble  and  modest  where  one  feels  that  one  might  be  proud ; 
so  gracious  and  full  of  tact  that  we  foreigners,  when  with  him,  forget 
that  he  is  a Chinese.  When  he  speaks  in  the  pulpit,  you  do  not  see  the 
man;  you  only  feel  the  earnestness  of  his  words.  From  the  first,  the 
people  were  attracted  by  his  simple  eloquence.  Day  after  day  the  num- 
ber grew,  until  they  taxed  the  utmost  capacity  of  our  new  church. 
Meetings  were  held  four  times  a day.  On  the  third  day,  opportunities 
were  given  to  those  who  wished  to  study  the  Gospel  to  come  forward 
while  their  names  were  recorded.  Eighty-two  responded.  At  all  the 
succeeding  meetings,  names  were  added.  The  Christians  began  to  work 
— the  children  to  bring  in  their  playmates,  the  laborers  their  friends, 
the  students  their  class-mates,  and  the  rich  their  companions.  They  could 
not  all  come  forward,  and  so  individuals  were  given  paper  and  pencil 
to  take  the  names  throughout  the  congregation.  The  number  reached 
865.  -\fter  a few  more  days,  the  enrollment  reached  1,000;  and  still 
the  number  grew  until  it  stood  at  over  1,400.  ' 

"It  is  hard  to  realize  just  what  these  figures  stand  for;  we  ourselves 
cannot  tell.  They  are  not  converts,  such  as  you  have  in  America,  but 
only  just  wanting  to  learn  the  way  which  leads  to  salvation.  It  is  a 
great  step  in  advance  of  the  indifference  which  has  hitherto  prevailed. 
Only  a small  per  cent  of  the  whole  are  women,  largely  because  women 
cannot  attend  public  meetings  as  men  do,  while  many  who  might  have 
come  could  not  get  through  the  mud  with  their  bound  feet. 

"It  is  seldom  given  to  missionaries  to  see  an  ingathering  like  this, 
far  beyond  one’s  greatest  hope.  It  looms  up  like  a great  mystery, 
holding  us  in  awe  and  having  but  one  solution  : ‘Not  by  might  not  by 

power,  but  by  my  Spirit,  saith  the  Lord.’  Will  those  at  home  remember 
these  inquirers  in  prayer  that  the  grace  of  the  Lord  may  abound  unto 
them  ?’’ 

It  would  be  easy  to  mention  other  revivals  in  various  parl^ 
of  China,  but  I must  not  prolong  this  account.  Surely  enough 
has  been  said  to  evoke  profound  thanksgiving  and  gratitude  to 
God  and  to  make  us  feel  that  a new  day  is  dawning  in  China. 
A spiritual  movement  which  has  manifested  itself  in  such  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  Empire  as  Fuh-kein,  Kiang-si,  Shan-si, 
Shen-si,  Honan,  Shantung  and  Che-kiang,  which  has  been  char- 
acterized by  the  preaching  of  Chinese  ministers  more  than  that 
of  missionaries,  and  has  been  attended  by  large  accessions  and 
by  enriched  spiritual  life  of  the  Church,  unmistakably  indicates 
a mighty  trend  toward  the  goals  of  God. 


IT9 


I would  not  give  the  impression  that  all  China  is  about  to  be- 
come Christian  and  that  there  is  no  reason  for  anxiety.  Side  by 
side  with  these  remarkable'  manifestations  of  spiritual  power, 
there  are  the  evidences  of  growing  suspicion  and  even  hostility 
to  which  I have  already  referred.  This  might  normally  be  ex- 
pected. As  long  as  the  work  was  small  and  obscure,  there  was 
no  special  reason  why  the  Chinese  as  a whole  should  assume  any 
particular  attitude  toward  it.  Multitudes  indeed  knew  nothing 
about  it,  and  many  who  did  know  regarded  it  with  contemptu- 
ous indifference.  As  numbers  grow  and  as  congregations  be- 
come more  influential,  the  Chinese  people  begin  to  consider  this 
new  movement.  Indifference  changes  to  curiosity,  and  this  in 
turn  develops  either  into  open  sympathy  or  open  opposition. 
This  is  indicative  not  of  failure,  but  of  success.  Brighter  lights 
always  mean  darker  shadows.  Christianity  in  China  has  reach- 
ed the  point  where  men  are  taking  sides  for  or  against  it. 

WILL  THERE  BE  WAR? 

Students  of  world  conditions  which  affect  the  missionary 
enterprise  cannot  ignore  the  prevailing  belief  in  Europe  and 
the  Far  East  that  war  is  highly  probable  before  many  years, 
and  that  the  first  clash  is  likely  to  come  between  the  United 
States  and  Japan.  I deplore  exceedingly  such  published  pro- 
phecies. Most  of  them  belong  to  the  category  of  thoughts  which 
are  fathered  by  a wish.  Alen  who  fear  and  dislike  the  Japanese 
are  eager  to  see  some  nation  fight  her. 

If  war  were  caused  only  by  rational  considerations,  we  might 
promptly  and  emphatically  reply  that  there  would  be  no  war  at 
all.  The  peaceful  intentions  of  the  United  States  are  well 
known.  In  spite  of  their  national  swagger  and  high  temper, 
the  American  people  are  not  disposed  to  rush  into  actual  hostil- 
ities. Moreover,  every  sensible  man  knows  that,  while  we  have 
a splendid  navy,  our  army  is  too  small  to  be  a serious  factor 
against  the  disciplined  troops  of  a first-class  power.  Putting 
rifies  into  the  hands  of  clerks,  farmers  and  mechanics  does  not 
make  an  effective  force  in  this  age  of  the  world.  In  our  Civil 
War,  there  were  volunteers  on  both  sides.  In  the  Spanish- 
American  W'ar,  we  fought  a decrepit,  rotten  nation.  It  would 
be  quite  another  thing  to  contend  against  a really  formidable 
foreign  foe.  Our  population  and  resources  and  our  ocean-wide 
distance  from  other  nations  are  so  great  that  we  could  easily 
defend  our  home  territory  against  any  invader ; but  we  could 
do  little  in  offensive  operations  where  any  war  of  the  first  mag- 
nitude would  probably  be  conducted,  and  the  first  thing  thai 
would  happen  to  us  would  probably  be  the  loss  of  the  Philip- 
pine Islands  and  perhaps  the  Hawaiian  Islands.  iMany  Amer- 


120 


leans  have  ‘‘the  valor  of  ignorance"  which  boastfully  imagines 
that  we  couUl  whip  the  world ; but  intelligent  men  know  better. 
They  understand  that  war  could  bring  to  us  absolutely  nothing 
that  we  want  but  only  things  that  we  do  not  want.  I venture 
the  assertion  that  no  other  nation  in  the  world  is  less  likely  to 
make  war  upon  any  other  nation.  The  ambitions  of  the  people 
of  the  United  States  are  not  military.  We  not  only  lack  an 
army  capable  of  foreign  aggression,  but  we  have  not  the  slight- 
est intention  of  developing  one.  The  only  real  danger  of  trouble 
with  Japan  lies  in  our  irresponsible  mobs  and  demagogues;  and 
if  we  can  keep  them  from  exasperating  beyond  endurance  the 
])roud  and  sensitive  Japanese,  there  is  not  likelv  to  be  trouble. 

suggestion  that  any  considerable  ))ortion  of  respectable  Amer- 
icans cherish  hostile  sentiments  against  the  Japanese  would  be 
greeted  with  derision  anywhere  in  the  United  States ; except 
possibly  in  a few  local  communities  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  where 
the  competition  of  Japanese  immigrants  has  become  serious, 
for  the  white  and  yellow  laborer  do  not  live  on  the  same  scale 
and  cannot  mix  readily.  The  feeling  of  the  American  people  as 
a whole  is  one  of  real  friendliness  toward  Japan. 

Japan  does  not  desire  war  for  the  reason  that  she  wants  time  to 
pay  the  heavy  war  debt  which  she  is  already  carrying,  to  develop 
her  internal  manufactures  and  her  foreign  trade,  to  carry  out 
her  program  in  Korea,  Manchuria  and  Formosa,  and  in  general 
to  strengthen  the  position  which  she  has  already  won.  She 
knows  that  she  has  a formidable  enemy  in  Russia,  that  it  will 
be  no  easy  task  to  bring  the  twelve  millions  of  Koreans  into  a 
condition  where  they  would  remain  quiet  in  the  event  of  an- 
other war,  and  that  the  Oiinese  are  increasingly  jealous  of  her. 
She  is  not  disposed  to  make  another  enemy  of  the  Phiited 
States,  for  whose  friendship  and  helpfulness  in  the  past  she 
feels  deeply  grateful  and  for  whose  progressive  spirit  and  fair 
dealing  slie  has  ])rofound  admiration.  Americans  were  long  in 
coming  to  the  conclusion  that  they  ought  to  have  the  Ha- 
waiian Islands,  and  it  would  not  be  surprising  if  in  time  the 
Japanese  come  to  feel  that,  for  the  same  reasons,  they  ought  to 
have  the  Philippines.  Put  the  conditions  are  hardlv  parallel, 
for  the  Hawaiian  Islands  did  not  belong  to  another  friendly 
nation  and  the  ruling  class  was  composed  of  men  of  our  own 
blood  and  speech  who  had  been  seeking  annexatior.  for  many 
vears.  Whatever  deeper  causes  might  have  led  in  time  to  an- 
nexation, the  immediate  cause  was  pressure  from  the  Islands 
themselves,  to  which  our  Government,  after  much  hesitation, 
finally  yielded.  The  Philippine  Islands  are  as  alien  to  Japan 
in  both  government  and  people  as  Hong  Kong,  and  could’only 
be  taken  by  force  in  a great  war.  Japan  has  no  notion  of  tak- 


I2I 


ing  tliem  in  that  way.  Of  course  if  war  should  break  out  from 
other  causes,  the  first  act  of  Japan  would  doubtless  be  the  occu- 
pation of  tiic  Philippines,  just  as  her  first  act  in  the  war  with 
Russia  was  the  occupation  of  Korea.  But  other  causes  will  not 
lead  to  war  if  .Americans  keep  their  heads.  The  Japanese, 
in  spite  of  their  martial  spirit,  are  not  as  eager  to  fight  other 
nations  as  their  critics  allege.  Japan  has  had  comparatively 
few  foreign  wars,  and  she  diil  not  begin  hostilities  against  Rus- 
sia until  she  had  been  humiliated  and  endangered  ancl  goaded 
for  years  in  ways  that  no  western  nation  would  have  tolerated. 
Japan  fought  Russia  only  as.  a last  resort  after  every  other 
means  had  been  e.xhausted.  But  when  she  did  begin,  she  con- 
tinued. in  a fashion  which  should  make  other  nations  think 
twice  before  i)ushing  her  into  war  again.  Large  significance 
should  be  given  to  the  opinions  of  the  .American  missionaries 
resident  in  Japan.  They  are  in  a position  to  know  the  attitude 
of  the  people.  Several  years  ago,  when  .sensational  newspapers 
in  .America  were  frantically  predicting  a Japanese  attack,  the 
whole  missionary  body  united  in  making  a statement  which  in- 
cluded the  following:  “W'e,  the  undersigned,  wish  to  bear  tes- 
timony to  the  sobriety,  sense  of  international  justice,  and  free- 
dom from  aggressive  designs  exhibited  by  tbe  majority  of  the 
Japanese  people,  and  to  their  faith  in  the  traditional  justice  and 
equity  of  the  Lnited  States,  and  our  belief  that  the  alleged 
belligerent  attitude  of  the  Japanese  does  not  represent  the  real 
sentiment  of  the  people.” 

.At  the  Semi-Centennial  celebration  of  Protestant  Missions 
in  Japan  last  October,  the  appended  resolution  was  unanimously 
adopted  by  tbe  large  and  representative  number  of  missionaries 
who  were  present : 

"While  the  Government  and  people  of  Japan  have  maintained  a gen- 
eral attitude  of  cordial  friendship  for  the  United  States,  there  has 
sprung  up  in  .some  quarters  of  the  latter  country  of  spirit  of  distrust 
of  Japan.  There  have  issued  from  the  sensational  press  such  exag- 
gerated and  even  false  rumors  concerning  the  'real'  and  ‘secret’  pur- 
pose of  Japan  as  to  arouse  suspicion  that  even  war  was  not  unlikely — 
a suspicion  that  was  largely  dispelled  by  the  cordial  welcome  given  by 
Japan  in  the  fall  of  igo8  to  the  .American  fleet  and  the  delegation  of 
business  men  from  the  Pacific  Coast. 

"Both  in  connection  with  the  embarrassing  situation  created  by  the 
proposed  legislation  in  California  regarding  Japanese  residents  and  the 
attendance  of  Japanese  children  in  the  public  schools;  and  in  connec- 
tion with  the  problem  of  Japanese  immigration  into  the  United  States, 
many  articles  appeared  in  the  .\merican  sensational  papers,  revealing 
profound  ignorance  of  Japan  and  creating  anti-Japanese  sentiment.  In 
spite  of  this  irritation,  the  press  and  the  people  of  Japan,  as  a whole, 
maintained  a high  degree  of  self-control.  Nevertheless  they  were  often 
reported  as  giving  vent  to  belligerent  utterances  and  making  belligerent 
plans.  Trivial  incidents  were  often  seized  on  and  exaggerated. 


122 


“In  this  day  of  extensive  and  increasing  commingling  of  races  and 
civilizations,  one  of  the  prime  problems  is  the  maintenance  of  amicable 
international  relations.  Essential  to  this  are  not  only  just  and  honest 
dealings  between  governments,  but  also,  as  far  as  practicable,  the  pre- 
vention as  well  as  the  removal  of  race  jealousy  and  misunderstanding 
between  the  peoples  themselves.  Indispensable  for  this  purpose  is  trust- 
worthy international  news.  False,  or  even  exaggerated  reports  of  the 
customs,  beliefs  or  actions  of  other  nations  are  fruitful  causes  of  con- 
tempt, ill-will,  animosity  and  even  war.  If  libel  on  an  individual  is  a 
grave  offense,  how  much  more  grave  is  libel  on  a nation? 

"Therefore,  we  American  missionaries  residing  in  Japan  would  re- 
spectfully call  the  attention- of  lovers  of  international  peace  and  good 
will  to  the  above  mentioned  facts  and  considerations,  and  would  urge 
the  importance  of  receiving  with  great  caution  any  alleged  news  from 
Japan  of  an  inflammatory  or  belligerent  nature;  and  of  seeking  to  edu- 
cate public  opinion  in  the  United  States  so  that,  in  regard  to  foreign 
news,  it  will  cultivate  the  habit  of  careful  discrimination.” 

France  has  no  discoverable  reason  for  making  trouble  in  the 
Far  East.  She  already  has  large  colonial  possessions  in 
Southern  Asia,  and  apparently  feels  that  she  can  get  what  more 
she  wants  without  lighting  for  them.  Germany  and  Great  Bri- 
tain both  require  peace  in  order  to  carry  out  their  ambitions  ui 
the  Far  East,  which  are  now  distinctly  commercial.  England 
has  an  added  motive  for  avoiding  war,  for  it  is  clear  that  she 
has  reached  her  zenith  as  a world  power.  War  could  give  her 
nothing  more  and  it  would  probably  cost  her  some  territor}' 
which  she  now  holds.  A nation  whose  possessions  are  scattered 
in  exposed  places  all  over  the  world  and  whose  home  popula- 
tion is  dependent  for  food  on  foreign  sources  of  supply  has  a 
powerful  reason  for  keeping  the  peace. 

The  most  serious  menace  is  Russia.  No  one  who  understands 
that  Empire  believes  for  a moment  that  it  will  permanently  ac- 
cept the  results  of  the  late  war  with  Japan.  Just  now  indeed  the 
two  countries  appear  to  be  on  fairly  good  terms  and  they  are 
seeking  certain  common  interests  in  an  amicable  way.  But  all 
tlie  reasons  which  led  to  the  Russia-Japan  War  exist  in  undi- 
minished force,  and  are  intensified  by  the  rage  and  chagrin  of 
defeat.  The  factor  which  now  compels  peace  is  llie  Anglo- 
Japanese  Alliance.  Neither  Russia  nor  any  other  nation  is  like- 
ly .0  begin  liostiliiies  which  would  have  to  be  conducted  against 
two  such  nations.  But  that  Alliance  expires  August  12,  1915, 
and  no  one  knows  whether  it  will  be  renewed.  B.  F.  Putnam 
Weale  is  sc  sure  of  trouble  that  he  entitled  one  of  his  books. 
“The  Truce  in  the  Far  East,”  and  he  declares:  “It  is  quite  vain 
to  suppose  that  the  war  has  accomplished  anything  more  than 
the  destruction  of  Russian  naval  power  in  the  Far  East  for  a 
period  of  fifteen  years  and  the  establishment  of  Japan,  at  a cost 
out  of  all  proportion  with  the  result  attained,  as  a military 
power.  W ere  it  not  for  the  Alliance  with  Great  Britain,  Rus- 


123 


sia  would  be  in  a far  better  position  than  she  has  ever  been  to 
wage  war."  The  internal  troubles  of  Russia  are  more  likely  to 
encourage  war  than  to  discourage  it.  It  is  an  old  trick  of  a 
jeopardized  ruling  party  to  involve  the  nation  in  a foreign  war 
in  the  hope  of  diverting  attention  from  revolutionists  and  unit- 
ing the  people  in  defense  of  the  fatherland.  Meantime,  Russia 
is  making  X’ladivostok  impregnable,  strengthening  her  hold 
upon  northern  Manchuria,  developing  its  agriculture  and  flour 
mills  so  that  it  can  furnish  abundant  food  supplies,  and  increas- 
ing the  facilities  of  the  Trans-Siberian  Railway  so  that  it  can 
tian.sport  troops  and  munitions  of  war  more  rapidly  than  in 

^905- 

The  unsettled  condition  of  China  also  begets  uncertainty.  It 
is  impossible  to  foresee  what  may  result  from  the  conflicting 
forces  which  are  operating  there  and  the  ambitions  of  rival  na- 
tions to  secure  predominating  influence.  Mliite  nations  have 
frec|uently  warred  to  obtain  more  territory,  or  to  resent 
slights  upon  what  they  were  pleased  to  term  their  national 
honor,  or  because,  like  individuals,  they  simply  got  mad.  His- 
tory makes  it  painfullv  apparent,  therefore,  that  the  possibility 
of  war  is  always  with  us.  Fortunately,  the  influences  which 
make  for  peace  are  strong,  especially  among  the  English-speak- 
ing peoples,  and.  I may  add.  the  German-.speaking  peoples,  too; 
for  Germany,  although  the  greatest  military  power  in  the  world, 
wants  trade  and  colonies,  not  war.  Fortunately,  too,  the  in- 
creasing influence  of  those  ideas  of  international  order,  justice 
and  brotherhood,  which  the  Christian  religion  inculcates,  tends 
to  diminisli  the  probabilit}'  of  conflict.  No  less  an  authority 
than  the  Hc>n.  James  Bryce,  British  Ambassador  at  Washing- 
ton. has  recently  said  that  the  jarring  contact  of  many  nation:, 
in  the  Far  East  today  imperatively  calls  for  the  strengthening 
of  that  Foreign  Missionary  work  which  must  be  the  chief  influ- 
ence in  smoothing  that  contact,  in  allaying  irritation,  and  in 
creating  those  conditions  of  international  good-will  which  are 
essential  to  the  preservation  of  peace. 

THE  FUTURE. 

I do  not  profess  to  know  what  the  future  has  in  store.  There 
are  encouraging  and  discouraging  factors.  ‘Alen  ask  us  for 
the  botcom  facts,"  exclaims  Dr.  Arthur  H.  Smith,  of  Peking. 
“They  can’t  have  them,  because  there  is  no  bottom  and  there 
are  no  facts.’’ 

We  must  not  under-estimate  the  difficulties  of  the  situation. 
The  hindrances  to  the  progress  of  the  Gospel  were  at  first  sus- 
picion, dense  superstition,  the  inertia  of  centuries  of  stagna- 
tion, fear  and  dislike  of  anything  associated  with  white  men, 


124 


and  powerful,  established  non-Christian  faiths.  These  hind- 
rances still  exist  in  varying  degrees  of  intensity.  Some  are 
showing  unmistakable  signs  of  disintegration.  Xew  hindrances, 
however,  are  developing.  Knowledge  of  western  nations  is 
bringing  new  temptations  and  arousing  stronger  antagonisms. 
Xative  ministers  frequently  lamented  the  increasing  greed,  ma- 
terialism. intemperance,  gambling  and  impurity. 

Asia's  increasing  knowledge  of  Europe  and  America  is  not 
wholly  to  our  advantage,  for  men  in  the  Far  East  now  know 
that  the  so-called  Christian  nations  arc  characterized  by  much 
that  is  selfish  and  greedy  and  lustful.  Religion  to  the  Asiatic 
is  a national  rather  than  an  individual  matter.  He  imagines 
that  western  nations  are  Christian  nations,  and  when  he  sees 
them  trying  to  despoil  his  territory,  and  finds  that  their  rela- 
tions with  bis  country  are  characterized  by  trickery  and  deceit, 
he  naturallv  concludes  that  he  does  not  want  the  religion  of 
such  a country. 

The  comhict  of  many  foreigners  in  the  I'ar  East  has  long 
been  a cause  of  irritation  to  .\siatics  and  one  of  the  serious  ob- 
stacles to  missionarv  effort.  It  is  small  wonder  that  the  average 
Oriental  distrusts  and  fears  white  men  when  he  observes  what 
many  of  them  are  and  what  thev  do.  The  history  of  the  com- 
mercial and  political  relationships  of  western  nations  with 
eastern  nations  is  not  comfortable  reading  for  those  who  seek 
to  inculcate  sentiments  of  mutual  res])ect  and  good  will.  “There 
are  many  humorous  things  in  the  world."  observes  i\Iark 
Twain;  “among  them  the  white  man's  notion  that  he  is  less 
savage  than  the  other  savages."  I found  the  following  “Special 
Xotice"  conspicuously  posted  in  a dozen  places  about  the  JMing 
Tombs  near  Xanking: 

“Owing  to  past  acts  of  vandalism  and  defacement  of  the  Imperial 
tablets,  monuments  and  ancient  relics  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Ming 
Tombs,  palings  have  been  erected  by  order  of  His  Excellency,  Viceroy 
Tuan  b'ang.  for  the  preservation  of  same.  Visitors  are  therefore  here- 
by requested  to  abstain  from  entering  within  the  said  palings  or  doing 
anything  that  may  be  detrimental  to  the  said  Imperial  tablets,  monu- 
ments and  relics  in  this  vicinity. 

Wan.  Taotai. 

Liang-kiang,  Bureau  of  Foreign  Affairs. 

Yang,  Prefect  of  Kiang-ning." 

June,  1909. 

This  was  printed  in  English.  French,  Russian,  German,  Ital- 
ian and  Japanese,  but  not  in  Chinese— that  was  not  necessary. 

glance  at  the  arches,  monuments  and  buildings  afforded  hu- 
miliating evidence  not  only  of  the  necessity  for  the  notice  but 
of  the  nationality  of  those  for  whom  it  was  intended.  Objects 
sacred  to  the  Chinese  were  grossly  disfigured  by  names  and 


125 


other  marks  scrawie-l  and  cut  upon  the  stone  and  woodwork, 
most  of  them  in  English.  Who  can  blame  the  Chinese  for  hat- 
ing and  despising  foreigners  who  do  such  tilings? 

The  foreign  communities  in  the  ports  of  Asia  include  a larger 
number  of  men  and  women  of  high  character  than  formerly. 
There  are  some  splendid  people  in  those  cities ; but  the  propor- 
tion of  the  dis.solute  is  still  painfully  great.  Thanks  to  Judge 
Wilfrey,  it  is  no  longer  true  in  Shanghai  that  the  term  "Ameri- 
can girl"  means  an  e.xceptionally  attractive  woman  of  ill-repute; 
but  it  is  still  true  that  every  port  in  the  h'ar  East  swc*rms  with 
bad  characters  from  Europe  and  America.  I agree  with  the 
Hon.  John  Eowler,  American  Consul  at  Chefoo,  in  the  state- 
ment that  a Chinese  who  sincerely  worships  a stone  image  is  a 
better  man  to  deal  with  and  a more  promising  man  to  convert 
than  a white  man  who  does  not  believe  in  anything.  The  for- 
mer at  least  reveres  the  best  that  he  knows.  The  latter,  know- 
ing the  better,  ignores  it.  The  most  hopeless  individual  any- 
where is  the  one  who.  understanding  truth,  refuses  to  conform 
his  life  to  it.  Every  Chinese  is  a Confucian  and  a Buddhist,  and 
he  imagines  that  every  white  man  is  a Giristian.  Cl'.ristianity 
therefore  has  to  bear  the  reproach  of  men  from  the  West  who 
deliberately  reject  its  teachings. 

Certain  problems,  too,  have  grown  out  of  evangelistic  success 
in  the  churches  themselves.  One  of  these  is  the  reflex  influence 
of  prosperity.  As  congregations  become  larger,  will  the  early 
spiritual  fervor  continue,  or  will  it  give  place  to  self-satisfac- 
tion? The  Church  at  Syen  Chyun,  Korea,  has  had  a wonderful 
growth  ; but  one  of  the  elders  expressed  to  me  this  fear.  He 
said  that  at  first  practically  every  Christian  was  an  evangelist; 
but  that  now  there  are  some  Avho  are  content  with  Sunday  wor- 
ship and  prayer  meeting  attendance.  In  other  words,  the  Ko- 
rean Church  is  in  danger  of  becoming  more  like  our  home 
churches  in  America ! This  leveling  up,  or  down  rather,  is  go- 
ing on  in  many  places.  Tlie  conditions  aft’ecting  church  devel- 
opment are  fast  becoming  the  same  the  world  over.  This  fact 
should  lead  us  to  a better  understanding  of  the  needs  of  our 
Asiatic  fallow  Christians  and  to  a deeper  sympathy  with  them. 
They  are  facing  our  proiblems  and  we  are  facing  theirs. 

.Another  difficulty  grows  out  of  the  appearance  in  Asia  of  re- 
ligious cranks.  Their  personal  character  and  sincerity  are  usu- 
ally high  and  they  often  toil  indefatigably  and  self- 
sacrificingly ; but  they  repre.sent  idio.syncrasies  of  Christian 
belief  which  bring  the  cause  of  Christ  into  ridicule  with  intelli- 
gent Chinese.  They  do  not  confine  their  activities  to  non-Chris- 
tians, but  appear  to  deem  it  their  duty  to  persuade  Ciiinese  who 
are  already  communicants  or  adherents  that  they  are  not  fol- 


126 


lowing  the  teachings  of  the  Bible.  They  therefore  cause  con- 
siderable trouble.  This  of  course  cannot  be  helped.  There  is  no 
law  to  prevent  any  fanatical  visionary  from  going  to  Asia  and 
teaching  what  he  pleases ; but  when  such  an  earnest  effort  is 
being  made  to  present  the  Gospel  of  Christ  in  a united  and  dig- 
nified manner  to  the  people  of  Asia,  it  is  unfortunate,  to  say 
the  least,  to  have  Christianity  identified  in  the  popular  mind 
with  freakish  individuals  who  mistake  their  own  vagaries  for 
religious  truth  and  arraign  all  who  do  not  agree  with  them  as 
disobedient  to  God. 

There  is  immense  opportimitv  for  further  missionary  work 
in  Japan  ; but  it  must  be  done  on  terms  which  are  imposed  by 
the  Japanese  Church.  There  is  a great  work  to  be  done  in  Ko- 
rea ; but  it  must  be  done  amid  new  social  and  political  compli- 
cations. There  is  a vast  work  to  be  done  in  China ; but  it  must 
be  done  amid  the  upheaval  of  Chinese  society,  the  surging  cur- 
rents and  counter-currents  of  a new  era,  the  increasing  anti- 
foreign  spirit,  and  the  growing  feeling  of  the  official  class  in 
China  that  Christianity  is  not  only  identified  with  foreign  ideas 
but  is  subversive  of  ancestral  worship  to  which  the  Chinese 
tenaciously  cling.  The  situation  is  clouded  by  these  uncertain- 
ties. and  if  we  leave  out  God,  mass  the  difficulties  and  consider 
them  alone,  we  might  almost  be  discouraged. 

But  there  is  another  side.  It  would  not  be  fair,  as  it  would 
not  be  Christian,  to  consider  the  difficulties  of  the  future  apart 
from  the  influence  which  the  Gospel  of  Christ  has  in  modifying 
those  difficulties.  It  is  true  that  forces  of  evil  and  demoraliza- 
tion are  at  work.  It  is  also  true  that  the  constructive  force  of 
the  Gospel  is  at  work,  and  that  it  is  the  mightiest  force  of  all. 
The  Gospel  has  shown  its  overcoming  power  in  other  lands  and 
times,  and  it  will  show  it  again  in  the  Far  East.  There  is  all 
the  more  reason,  therefore,  why  we  should  address  ourselves  to 
the  colossal  task  with  redoubled  effort  and  faith  and  prayer. 
^^'e  may  thus  by  God’s  grace  help  to  prevent  the  domination  of 
evil  forces  and  to  create  better  conditions. 

God  must  not  be  left  out  of  our  contemplation  of  the  future. 
Me  is  working  in  mighty  power  and  His  purpose  will  not  fail. 
\\'hy  should  we  be  pessimistic  because  Asia  has  not  been  re- 
generated within  a century  of  comparatively  .small  effort?  A 
recent  traveler  declares  that  it  will  take  500  years  to  convert 
China.  Well,  Christianity  has  been  operating  upon  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  race  for  1.500  years,  and  neither  Great  Britain  nor 
America  is  converted  yet.  Indeed,  there  are  some  who  think 
that  the  prospect  for  their  conversion  is  rather  faint.  No 
other  cities  in  the  world  have  had  the  pure  Gospel  preached  to 
them  for  a longer  period  than  London,  Edinburgh  and  Glas- 


127 


4 

gow ; but  the  Christians  in  those  cities  confess  that  they  are 
appalled  b\  the  wickedness  in  them.  Even  if  it  does  take 
500  years  to  convert  China,  which  has  nearly  three  times  as 
many  people  as  Great  Britain  and  America  combined,  it  would 
not  be  a reason  for  discouragement. 

Grant  that  the  evangelization  of  /\sia  is  a big  task,  and  it  cer- 
tainly is ; we  may  be  cheered  by  the  great  progress  that  is  be- 
ing made,  by  the  evidence  that  Christianity  has  taken  root,  so 
that  there  is  a Church  which  is  so  well  established  that  it  is 
certain  to  grow.  We  may  be  encouraged,  too,  by  the  fact  that 
the  Churches  contain  a larger  number  of  Christians  of  the  sec- 
ond and  third  generations,  and  are  attracting  men  of  intelli- 
gence who  are  fitted  for  leadership.  The  Christian  movement 
is  gaining  strength  and  momentum,  the  larger  faith  and  the 
sounder  character  of  men  w'ho  are  at  a farther  remove  from 
original  heathenism.  The  first  converts  find  it  very  difficult 
to  emancipate  themselves  from  inherited  superstitions  and 
wrong  practices ; but  these  superstitions  and  practices  are  weak- 
er in  the  second  generation,  and  still  weaker  in  the  third,  while 
the  Christian  convictions  and  standards  are  proportionately 
stronger.  There  is  a limit  to  this  line  of  argument,  for  the 
oldest  Church  in  time  is  not  always  the  best  in  character;  but 
broadly  speaking,  children  who  have  grown  up  in  a believing 
household,  accustomed  from  their  earliest  recollections  to 
prayer  and  the  Word  of  God,  and  who  are  led  to  Christ  before 
idolatry  and  vice  gain  a hold,  are  apt  to  be  better  Christians 
than  those  who  grow  up  in  heathenism  and  become  Christians 
later  in  life.  It  is,  therefore,  a distinct  encouragement  that  we 
now  have  a considerable  and  rapidly  increasing  number  of 
such  Christians.  Everywhere  I went,  I asked  not  only  mis- 
sionaries, but  native  pastors,  elders  and  evangelists  what  they 
thought  of  the  future,  and  without  exception  I found  their 
attitude  hopeful  to  the  point  of  enthusiasm.  They  felt  abso- 
lutely confident  that  the  cause  of  Christ  is  firmly  established  in 
Asia  and  that  great  days  are  to  come.  As  I journeyed  through 
that  great  continent,  asking  questions,  making  investigations 
regarding  the  conditions  and  perplexities  of  the  work,  and 
noting  the  changes  that  have  taken  place  since  my  former  visit, 
I found  myself  repeatedly  uttering  the  words:  “What  hath 
God  wrought?” 

I have  returned  from  this  second  journey  around  the  world 
oppressed  by  the  magnitude  of  the  task  which  we  have  under- 
taken, feeling  keenly  its  difficulties,  not  underestimating  the 
formidable  opposition  which  we  encounter.  But  I have  also 
returned  impressed  by  the  fidelity  and  enthusiasm  of  the  mis- 
sionaries and  cheered  by  the  example  of  native  Christians  who, 

I 


128 


amid  toil  and  poverty  and  sometimes  persecution,  are  serving 
their  Lord  with  gladness  of  heart.  I am  inspired  by  a stronger 
confidence  in  the  vitality  of  the  Gospel,  a more  assured  convic- 
tion that  amid  all  the  tumult  of  a changing  order,  ttie  purpose 
of  the  omnipotent  and  ever-living  God  is  being  steadily  de- 
veloped. If  all  the  Ghurches  in  Europe  and  America  will  ad- 
dress themselves  to  the  world-wide  opportunities  of  the  age, 
the  next  decade  may  decisively  affect  the  spiritual  destinies  of 
the  whole  non-Christian  world.  The  following  hymn,  which 
was  sung  by  thousands  of  voices  at  the  last  Pan-Anglican  Con- 
gress, well  de.scribes  the  majestic  march  of  events  in  Asia: 

“God  is  working  His  purpose  out  as  year  succeeds  to  year ; 

God  is  working  His  purpose  out,  and  the  time  is  drawing  near — 
Nearer  and  nearer  draws  the  time,  the  time  that  sliall  surely  be, 

\\  hen  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  glory  of  God  as  the  waters  cover 
the  sea. 

‘From  utmost  East  and  utmost  \\’est,  wherever  man's  foot  hath  trod, 
By  the  mouth  of  many  messengers  goes  forth  the  Voice  of  God. 

Give  ear  to  me,  ye  continents — ye  isles  give  ear  to  me. 

Till  the  earth  may  be  tilled  with  the  glory  of  God  as  the  waters  cover 
the  sea. 

‘What  can  we  do  to  work  God’s  work,  to  prosper  and  increase 
The  brotherhood  of  all  mankind — the  reign  of  our  Prince  of  Peace? 
ATat  can  we  do  to  hasten  the  time,  the  time  that  shall  surely  be, 
'rVhen  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  glory  of  God  as  the  waters  cover 
the  sea? 

March  we  forth  in  the  strength  of  God  with  the  banner  of  Christ  un- 
furled ; 

That  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Truth  may  shine  throughout 
the  world : 

Fight  we  the  fight  with  sorrow  and  sin  to  set  their  captives  free: 

Till  the  earth  may  he  filled  with  the  glory  of  God  as  the  waters  cover 

“.•Ml  we  can  do  is  nothing  worth  unless  God  blesses  the  seed  : 

Vainly  we  hope  for  the  harvest  till  God  gives  life  to  the  seed: 

Yet  nearer  and  nearer  draws  the  time — the  time  that  shall  surely  be. 
When  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  glory  of  God  as  the  waters  cover 
the  sea.’’ 

SPECIAL  PROBLEMS. 

Many  problems  of  mission  work  and  policy  were  considered 
in  my  conferences  with  missionaries  and  native  Christians. 
The  most  formidable  one— that  of  missionary  relationship  to 
the  rapidlv  growing  Native  Church — has  already  been  dis- 
cussed in  the  .section  on  Co-operation  with  the  Church  of  Christ 
in  Japan.  I now  take  up  some  of  the  other  questions. 

MISSIONARY  MEMBERSHIP  IN  FIELD  PRESBYTERIES. 

I found  wide  difference  of  oftinion  among  missionaries  as  to 
whether  it  is  wise  for  them  to  be  members  of  Presbyteries  on 
the  field.  This  difference  of  opinion  is  not  new.  The  old 


Manual  of  the  Board  included  a pjyuigraph  advising  mission- 
aries to  take  their  letters  from  home  Presbyteries  and  unite 
with  the  Presbyteries  on  the  field.  The  revised  Manual  re- 
scinded that  recommendation,  and  the  i)resent  policy  of  the 
Board  is  to  advise  missionaries  to  retain  connection  with  their 
home  Presbyteries  and  to  content  themselves  with  correspond- 
ing membership  of  the  foreign  Presbyteries. 

The  Board  of  course  docs  not  legislate  on  this  ecclesiastical 
subject,  but  simply  expresses  its  opinion.  Some  missionaries 
have  tried  to  solve  the  problem  by  being  members  of  both  home 
and  foreign  IVe.sbyteries,  and  I believe  that  the  General  As- 
scmhly  has  permitted  this  in  one  or  two  exceptional  instances. 
'I'hc  Rev.  W’m.  If.  Roberts.  D.D.,  LI^.D.,  Stated  Cltrk  of  the 
General  Assembly,  writes  me  as  follows  on  this  subject: 

“There  have  already  been  submitted  to  me  two  requests  made  to 
Presbyteries  of  the  Presbjrterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A.,  asking  that 
ministers  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  China  he  given  a dual  relation- 
ship,— one  to  our  Church  and  the  other  to  tlie  Church  in  China.  I have 
given  the  opinion  in  Iwth  case.s  that  any  such  dual  relation  is  contrary 
to  the  Constitution  of  the  Pre.sbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A.  It  is 
impossible  for  our  Church,  without  an  amendment  to  the  Form  of 
Government,  to  accept  any  such  dual  relationship  for  any  minister. 

“.Allow  me  to  suggest  what  I have  already  written  to  the  Stated  Clerk 
of  one  of  our  Presbyteries,  that  the  right  way  to  adjust  this  matter  is 
for  foreign  missionaries  who  arc  ministers,  and  who  desire  to  he  en- 
rolled in  one  of  the  .American  Presbyteries,  to  secure  a letter  of  dis- 
missal from  the  Presbytery  in  China,  and  then  be  enrolled  in  an  Amer- 
ican Presbytery.  If,  after  such  enrollment,  the  Presbytery  in  China 
sees  proper,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  work  of  the  foreign  missionary 
lies  within  its  bounds,  to  give  to  such  foreign  missionary  a relationship 
as  corresponding  member,  then  the  matter  under  consideration  will  be 
decided  by  the  proper  party,  without  creating  an  anomalous  situation  in 
either  denomination.” 

The  majority  of  the  missionarie.s  with  whom  I conferred  on 
this  trip  feel  that  they  should  belong  to  the  Presbytery  on  the 
field,  even  when  such  membership  involves  withdrawal  from 
the  home  Church.  The  following  letters  illustrate  this : 

“My  Dfar  Dr.  Brown  : — With  regard  to  missionaries  being  members 
of  the  Chinese  Presbyteries,  w-e  find,  as  Dr.  Garritt  so  well  stated,  that 
it  is  better  for  us  in  this  part  of  China  to  be  members.  .At  the  time  of 
the  establishment  of  the  Synod  of  China  at  Ranking  four  years  ago, 
there  was  considerable  discussion  of  this  subject.  .All  the  Chinese  pas- 
tors felt  that  the  missionaries  should  join  the  Presbyteries  in  China 
and  voted  for  the  missionaries  to  be  members.  They  regarded  with 
disfavor  the  plan  of  the  Southern  Presbyterians  that  the  mi.ssionary 
should  hold'  a double  membership  at  home  and  in  China.  For  myself, 
I feel  that  I must  cast  my  lot  in  with  the  Chinese  and  be  subject  to  the 
Presbytery  here.  Anything  that  may  be  interpreted  as  distrust  is  fatal 
to  the  best  influence.  I do  not  find  that  thoughful  Chinese  take  to  our 
theory  of  the  separateness  of  the  missionary  and  the  Church,  even  as 
outlined  in  the  Manual.” 


J.  E.  WILLIAMS. 


130 


“My  Dear  Mr.  Brown  ; — In  reply  to  your  request  for  a written 
statement  of  the  relationship  which  exists  between  the  missionaries  and 
Chinese  brethren  in  the  Ningpo  Presbytery,  I may  say  that  it  was  at 
the  very  urgent  request  of  the  Chinese  brethren  that  we  became  full 
members  of  the  Chinese  Church  when  it  came  into  existence  as  an  inde- 
pendent body  some  three  or  four  years  ago ; and  nothing  but  the  most 
cordial  relations  have  prevailed  ever  since.  Xot  only  do  they  not  wish  us 
to  withdraw  from  active  membership,  hut  any  proposal  to  do  so 
makes  them  feel  that  we  lack  confidence  in  them ; as  was  shown  very 
clearly  in  the  meeting  this  fall  when  Mr.  Fitch  wished  to  have  his  letter 
made  out  to  his  home  Presbytery  instead  of  to  Hang-chou  Presbytery. 
Xo  doubt  the  fact  that  the  missionaries  are  a very  small  minority  of  the 
body  has  much  to  do  in  bringing  about  the  above  result.  Furthermore 
we  always  try  to  emphasize  the  rights  of  the  Presbytery  and  give  to  its 
evangelistic  and  other  committees  a large  share  in  the  control  of  the 
tiative  helpers  working  within  its  bounds,  and  any  other  matters  which 
they  can  undertake  satisfactorily.” 

J.  E.  SHOEMAKER. 

The  West  Shantung  Mission  voted  on  this  subject  as 
follows : 

“Theoretically,  missionaries  should  not  be  voting  members  of  the  Xa- 
tive  Church,  but  rather  consulting  members.  Xeither  should  the  na- 
tives be  members  of  the  Mission.  The  reason  for  not  admitting  the 
native  leaders  into  the  Mission  administration  is  that  we  do  not  believe 
any  considerable  number  of  them  to  be  advanced  enough  in  stability 
of  Christian  character  to  be  yet  entrusted  with  large  fiduciary  powers, 
and  if  we  do  not  allow  them  voice  in  the  administration  of  funds  from 
native  sources,  we  should  not  share  in  any  power  of  administration  over 
funds  from  native  S'ources.  But  in  the  early  beginnings  of  work  where 
there  are  no  native  pastors,  under  our  Presbyterian  system  there  does 
seem  to  be  need  of  foreigners  taking  the  real  lead  and  the  responsibility 
of  voting,  though  there  may  be  those  who  question  whether  even  here 
the  foreign  pastor  should  not  refrain  from  voting.” 

Several  mi.s.sionaries  called  my  attention  to  the  following 
deliverance  of  the  General  Assembly  of  1901  : 

“Every  Presbytery  has  oversight  of  the  work  within  its  own  bounds. 
If  a minister  of  another  Presbytery  refuses  to  connect  himself  with  the 
Presbytery  within  whose  bounds  he  labors,  the  Presbytery  may  refuse 
him  permission  to  continue  his  labors  within  their  bounds  and  may  com- 
plain to  the  Presbytery  of  which  he  is  a member,  in  case  he  continues 
his  labors  without  such  permission.”* 

It  is  evident  that  the  Committee  of  the  Assembly  which 
framed  this  action  had  in  mind  ministers  working  within  the 
bounds  of  a Pre.'^jbytery  in  the  United  States  but  refusing  to 
connect  themselves  with  it.  The  Assembly  of  1887  made  a 
deliverance  more  to  the  point.t  It  makes  curious  reading  to- 
day, as  it  reflects  a situation  which  subsequent  events  have 
largely  modified.  At  that  time,  the  X’ative  Church,  as  an  au- 
tonomous body  with  a mind  of  its  own,  was  not  an  appreciable 
entity,  save  in  a few  fields ; nor  was  the  study  of  mission  policy 


•Assembly  Mimitos,  pp.  107-168. 
t Assembly  Minutes,  pp.  lS-25. 


as  far  advanced  as  it  is  now.  I do  not  believe  that  it  is  the  de- 
sire of  the  (jeneral  Assembly  today,  to  compel  its  foreign  mis- 
sionaries to  leave  their  mother  Church  and  to  join  independem 
churches  in  Asia.  The  opinion  of  onr  Hoard  and  of  a large  and 
growing  number  of  missionaries  throughout  the  world,  and  the 
plain  requirements  of  our  increasingly  complicated  relations 
with  the  rapidly  growing  Native  Churches,  are  in  accord  with 
the  declaration  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Southern 
I’resbyterian  Church  to  the  General  Assembly  of  1886:  “The 
prevailing  view  in  our  Church  favors  the  method  of  having 
Presbyteries  on  mission  ground  composed  exclusive!}-  of  na- 
tive presbyters,  the  missionaries  holding  only  advisory  rela- 
tions to  the  Presbytery.’’ 

Here  again  we  need  to  distinguish  between  aim  and  method. 
Our  aim  is  to  make  the  native  Christians  feel  that  the  Church 
and  its  judicatories  belong  to  them.  Whether  a missionary 
should  join  a Presbytery  therefore  is  not  to  be  determined  by 
abstract  considerations,  but  by  the  bearing  of  the  question  upon 
our  supreme  aim.  In  some  places,  that  aim  may  be  served  by 
missionaries  belonging  to  the  local  Presbytery,  for  a time  at 
least;  in  other  places,  that  aim  may  be  better  served  if  mis- 
sionaries retain  their  Presbyterial  relationships  in  America  and 
become  corresponding  members  of  the  field  Presbyteries.  The 
essential  thing  is  that  the  missionary  should  not  dominate  the 
Presbytery,  and  that  he  should  not  decide  whether  he  ought 
to  be  a member  of  it  without  conference  with  the  native  min- 
isters and  elders.  Much  depends  on  their  point  of  view.  I ad- 
here to  the  position  that  I have  taken  elsewhere  on  this  sub- 
ject that,  as  a general  principle,  it  is  better  for  the  missionary 
to  retain  his  ecclesiastical  relationship  in  America,  and  that  all 
the  influence  in  the  native  I’resbytery  that  he  ought  to  exert 
can  be  exerted  quite  as  well  as  a corresponding  member.*  The 
average  w-hite  man  cannot  be  in  a native  Presbytery  without 
trying  to  run  it,  and  whatever  reason  'there  was  for  running  it 
in  the  past  is  rapidly  passing.  It  is  true  that  native  ministers  in 
some  places  are  willing  to  have  missionaries  members  of  the 
field  Presbyteries,  and  in  some  instances  desire  them  to  be. 
This  is  a tribute  to  the  cordiality  of  the  relations  of  mission- 
aries and  native  ministers.  It  would  be  easy,  however,  to  infer 
too  much  from  this.  The  fundamental  fact  is  that  the  Chris- 
tians .of  .Asia,  like  those  of  Japan,  want  to  manage  their  own 
affairs ; though  all  have  not  yet  pressed  this  demand  as  far  as 
their  brethren  in  Japan.  Judging,  however,  from  what  I heard 
in  many  parts  of  Asia,  both  on  this  tour  and  the  former  one,  I 


•Compare  fuller  discussion  in  “The  Foreign  Missionary,”  pp.  313-317. 


132 


am  inclined  to  believe  that,  except  where  special  personal  rela-  I 

tions  exist  or  where  missionaries  are  in  a hopeless  minority,  I 

Asiatic  ministers  and  elders  would  promptly  exclude  mission- 
aries from  membership  in  local  Presbyteries  if  it  weie  not  for 
the  financial  aid  which  foreigners  represent. 

APPLICATION  OF  THE  GOSPEL  TO  SOCIAL  CONDITIONS. 

Boards  and  missionaries  have  long  recognized  that  social 
conditions  in  non-Christian  lands  are  radically  and  lamentably 
wrong.  Indeed  the  evils  are  so  great  and  the  neglect  of  the 
defective  classes  is  so  heartless  that  missionary  letters  and  ad- 
dresses have  frequently  given  them  ])rominence. 

Ihitil  comparatively  recent  years,  however,  little  systematic 
effort  has  been  made  to  meet  these  evils  by  direct  methods.  It 
is  true  that  the  Gospel  has  wrought  enormous  changes  in  so- 
ciety, as  the  monumental  work  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  James  S.  Dennis 
on  “Christian  Missions  and  Social  Progress"  abundantly  shows. 

These  results,  however,  while  usually  considered  of  primary 
importance  by  government  officials  and  others  who  are  not  par- 
ticularly interested  in  the  spiritual  phases  of  missionary  work, 
have  been  regarded  as  more  or  less  incidental  by  the  majority  1 

of  Boards  and  missionaries.  The  theory  has  been  that  the  sole  i 

duty  of  the  missionar}^  enterprise  was  to  make  known  the  j 

Gospel  of  Christ  and  to  plant  the  Church.  Medical  missions 
were  encouraged  chiefly  as  a means  of  opening  doors  of  op-  j 

portunity  for  preaching,  and  not  because  hospitals  were  recog-  j 

nized  as  an  essential  ]>art  of  missionary  work.  Indeed  I have 
heard  arguments  to  the  effect  that  hospitals  are  no  longer 
needed  in  Korea,  as  the  opportunities  for  preaching  the  Gospel 
are  now  sufficiently  great  without  the  assistance  of  medical  , 
missions.  Industrial  schools  were  sharply  denounced.  Robert  j 
Needham  Cust,  an  acknowledged  authority  of  a few  years  ago,  ■ 
wrote  as  follows:  “No  one  can  doubt  the  benevolence  of  those 
who  undertake  such  enterprises ; but  I ibink  most  probably  the 
s])irituality  of  the  manager  must  be  driven  out  of  him.  ... 

The  whole  thing  is  so  thoroughly  contrary  to  apo.stolic  prac- 
tice, and  ])ost-apostolic  experience.  /The  duty  of  the  mission-  j 
ary  is  to  preach  the  Gospel,  and  nothing  else,  except  what  helps  1 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel.  His  converts  and  his  Church  1 

may  be  poor  and  uncivilized;  that  is  not  his  affair;  the  poor  ’ 

have  the  Gospel  preached  to  them ; that  is  his  sole  duty.^’*  f 

Many  missionaries  have  concerned  themselves  with  the  piti-  ; 
fill  condition  of  famine  sufferers,  prostitutes,  the  blind,  the 
insane,  the  orphaned  and  the  deaf  and  dumb ; but  they  have  » 
usually  acted  on  their  own  initiative.  In  some  instances,  their 

• “Essay  on  Prevailing  Methods  of  the  Evangelization  of  the  Non -Christian 
'World,"  p.  l(j. 


i 


133 


efforts  were  disapproved  by  their  associates  and  by  their 
Boards.  Dr.  and  Airs.  John  G.  Kerr,  of  Canton,  built  their 
Refuge  for  the  Insane,  Dr.  Alary  Xiles,  also  of  Canton,  her 
School  for  the  Blind,  Airs.  Annetta  T.  Alills  her  School  for  the 
Deaf  and  Dumb  at  Chefoo,  without  assistance  from  our  Board, 
which  left  them  for  many  years  to  carry  personally,  not  only 
the  burden  of  superintending  their  respective  institutions,  but 
of  obtaining  financial  support  for  themy'  Their  names  re- 
mained upon  the  roll  of  the  Board  and  witn  one  exception  their 
salaries  were  continued ; but  the  Board  assumed  no  responsi- 
bility for  tbeir  work,  h'ortunately,  these  missionaries  had  large 
self-reliance  and  force  of  character,  and  by  indefatigable  la- 
bors, which  sometimes  involved  almost  crushing  anxieties,  they 
managed  to  develop  and  sustain  their  enterprises.  The  great 
rescue  work  for  Chinese  prostitutes  in  Shanghai  was  conceived 
and  is  being  carried  on,  not  as  the  result  of  any  missionary 
policy,  but  by  an  independent  group  of  people.  The  splendid 
effort  that  has  been  made  in  behalf  of  the  prostitutes  in  Japan 
was  inaugurated  by  an  individual  Alethodist  missionary,  and 
the  only  agency  which  has  officially  taken  up  this  work  as  an 
integral  part  of  its  regidar  operations  is  the  Salvation  Army. 
Dr.  James  W.  AIcKean,  of  Laos,  is  heroically  trying  to  finance 
a beneficent  work  for  lepers,  and  other  instances  might  be  cited 
in  various  lands. 

These  are,  of  course,  general  statements.  It  would  be  easy 
to  cite  exceptions ; but  the  main  fact  remains  that,  as  a rule, 
the  application  of  the  Gospel  to  social  conditions,  the  over- 
throw of  vice  and  the  care  of  the  unfortunate,  have  not  been 
recognized  as  an  essential  part  of  the  missionary  enterprise  but 
have  largely  been  left  to  individuals.  The  feeling  has  been 
that  the  Gospel  could  be  left  to  work  out  its  own  reformatory 
effects  in  society.  It  was  recognized  that  social  conditions 
needed  to  be  changed ; but  it  was  believed  that  the  Native 
Churches  would  attend  to  them  in  due  time.  When  a certain 
missionary  on  furlough  was  asked,  in  a conference  with  stu- 
dents, what  his  Alission  was  doing  in  the  way  of  social  service, 
he  replied:  “Nothing;  we  are  too  busy  preaching  the  Gospel.” 
It  would  be  easy  to  show  that  this  answer  was  not  a fair  char- 
acterization of  the  work  of  his  Alission ; but  it  illustrates  the 
attitude  of  mind  which  has  long  prevailed  in  missionary  cir- 
cles. Similar  convictions  at  home  built  up  churches  which  had 
eloquent  preaching  and  in.spiring  music,  paid  for  by  pewhold- 
ers  some  of  whom,  as  recent  events  have  painfully  shown,  spent 
their  week  days  as  insurance  grafters,  political  corruptionists, 
betrayers  of  trust  funds  and  child-labor  employers.  When  an 
indignant  public  .sentiment  began  to  castigate  them,  they  actual- 


134 


ly  lifted  their  hands  in  innocent  surprise  that  anyone  should 
imagine  that  they  had  been  doing  wrong.  Religion  to  them  had 
meant  a theory  and  not  a practice. 

Such  an  attitude  represents  one  extreme ; but  we  should  not 
go  to  the  other  extreme  by  insisting  that  the  supreme  duty  of 
the  missionary  is  not  to  declare  the  Gospel  but  to  effect  social 
reforms.  Christ  and  His  apostles  believed  the  preaching  of 
the  Gospel  to  be  the  most  necessary  thing,  and  they  did  not  or- 
ganize societies  for  the  prevention  of  crime  or  found  orphan- 
ages or  insane  asylums. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  age  in  which  Christ  lived  and  the 
time  and  circumstances  of  Christ’s  brief  ministry  did  not  make 
it  practicable  for  Him  to  do  many  things  which  He  might  have 
done  in  other  circumstances  and  which  He  expects  His  fol- 
lowers to  do.  If  He  and  the  first  disciples  did  not  undertake 
special  lines  of  social  service,  neither  did  they  organize  Sun- 
day-schools, Women’s  Societies,  Young  People’s  Societies, 
Mission  Bands,  Young  Men’s  Christian  Associations,  and  other 
agencies  which  are  now  deemed  indispensable  parts  of  Chris- 
tian activit}'.  But  Christ  did  heal  the  sick  on  a large  scale.  He 
opened  the  eyes  of  the  blind.  He  made  the  deaf  to  hear,  the 
dumb  to  sp^eak,  the  lame  to  walk,  and  He  restored  reason  to 
the  insane. 

The  spirit  of  Christ  calls  us  to  do  something  more  in  the  di- 
rection of  social  service  than  the  Church  either  at  home  or 
abroad  has  yet  done.  No  such  highly  developed  creeds  and 
church  organizations  as  we  have  today  were  formulated  by 
Christ  or  His  apostles;  but  we  are  not  going  to  disband  our 
Churches  or  burn  our  creeds  on  that  account.^ I believe,  with 
all  my  heart,  that  the  supreme  duty  of  the  missionary  enter- 
prise is  to  make  Jesus  Christ  intelligently  known  as  a personal 
Saviour,  to  induce  men  to  accept  Him  as  such,  and  to  aid  them 
in  establishing  a self-propagating,  self-supporting  and  self- 
governing  Church.  I would  make  evangelistic  work,  there- 
fore, first  in  importance  always  and  everywhere./ 

But  I also  believe  that  when  the  Gospel  is  introduced  among 
a non-Christian  people,  we  ought  not  to  leave  converts  to  as- 
certain and  work  out  unaided  the  meaning  of  that  Gospel  in 
human  society.  It  has  taken  the  white  race  many  centuries  to 
learn  that  lesson.  Why  should  we  leave  Asiatics  and  Africans 
to  stumble  along  for  the  same  number  of  centuries?  It  is  a 
reproach  to  the  churches  of  America  and  Europe  that  they 
have  so  largely  left  the  out-working  of  the  Gospel  to  outside 
organizations.  It  is  true  that  these  organizations  are  chiefly 
supported  by  Christians ; but  they  have  usually  been  left  to  in- 
dividual initiative.  The  Gospel  of  Christ  is  as  truly  presented 


135 


in  the  John  G.  Kerr  Refuge  for  the  Insane,  the  School  for  the 
Blind,  and  the  School  for  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  in  China  and  the 
orphanages  in  India  as  it  is  in  what  we  call  evangelistic  work. 
Are  they  not  evangelistic  too?  I dissent  strongly  from  those 
who  feel  that  we  should  leave  the  institutions  for  the  blind,  the 
insane,  the  deaf  and  dumb  and  the  orphaned  to  outside  organ- 
izations, and  who  begrudge  every  dollar  that  the  Boards  spend 
upon  them  lest  it  be  taken  away  from  “direct  Christian  work." 

I am  not  urging  anything  that  is  new  to  the  Board,  for  it  has 
already  expressed  its  readiness  to  take  over  the  institutions  for 
the  blind  and  the  insane  at  Canton,  and  the  deaf  and  dumb  at 
Chefoo  as  integral  parts  of  its  work.  I discuss  the  question 
here  partly  because  the  Board’s  course  in  this  matter  will  not 
be  unanimously  approved,  and  partly  because  the  whole  sub- 
ject of  the  relationship  of  the  missionary  enterprise  to  such 
work  needs  to  be  more  systematically  studied.  The  Boards 
have  been  doing  something  in  this  direction  sporadically,  and 
the  fact  that  such  large  results  have  followed  is  a powerful  tes- 
timony to  the  natural  out-working  of  the  Gospel  in  these  direc- 
tions. But  there  is  need  that  the  situation  should  be  more  ade- 
quately faced,  and  that  we  should  not  be  afraid  to  follow  our 
Christian  impulses  to  aid  the  afflicted  and  dependent  in  the 
name  and  spirit  of  our  Lord  for  fear  that  we  may  do  some- 
thing outside  of  our  missionary  responsibilities. 

Eft'ort  should  be  made  to  impress  the  Native  Churches  with 
their  duty  tow'ard  the  social  evils  of  their  respective  countries. 
They  are  not  yet  financially  able  to  carry  this  burden  unaided ; 
nor  do  they  yet  know  how'  it  could  be  done,  even  if  they  were 
financially  able.  It  would  not  be  practicable  for  us  to  establish 
institutions  for  the  afflicted  and  dependent  classes  all  over  the 
world,  or  even  all  that  are  needed  in  any  particular  country. 
But  we  should  have  a few  representative  institutions  which  will 
serve  as  object  lessons  to  the  peoples  of  Asia,  to  show  what  the 
Christ  spirit  involves.  It  would  be  lamentable  if  the  Church 
were  to  pass  by  on  the  other  side  and  leave  many  of  the  Mas- 
ter’s helpless  ones  to  be  neglected  or  to  be  cared  for  by  secular 
and  perhaps  anti-Christian  agencies. 

As  for  removing  prejudices,  winning  good-will  and  creating 
opportunities  for  making  Christ  known  in  places  which  are  or- 
dinarily difficult  of  access,  what  could  be  more  effective  than 
loving  ministries  to  the  suffering?  A native  of  Yamada  lost 
both  legs  in  the  war  with  Russia.  The  missionary,  the  Rev. 
\V.  F.  Hereford,  thought  that  the  poor,  helpless  cripple  would 
have  a better  chance  to  earn  a living  if  he  had  an  invalid’s  roll- 
ing chair.  Mrs.  Hereford  raised  some  money  by  selling  curios 
and  embroideries,  and  a stereopticon  lecture  and  a few  small 


136 


local  gifts  made  up  the  sum  required  to  buy  the  chair  in  Amer- 
ica and  to  pay  the  freight.  Nothing  was  left  but  the  duty — 
yen  30  ($15.00).  Mr.  Hereford  suggested  to  a prominent 
Japanese  that,  as  the  man  had  given  his  legs  for  his  country, 
the  country  ought  to  give  the  duty  on  the  chair.  “He  laughed 
at  me  and  said  that  no  one  but  a foreigner  would  ever  think  of 
such  a thing.  I argued  the  question  with  him  and  told  him  how 
the  Empress  had  given  cork  legs  to  those  who  could  use  them, 
and  that  1 knew  that  if  our  request  could  get  up  high  enough, 
it  would  be  granted.  I suggested  that  we  order  the  chair 
through  the  iMayor,  and  get  him  to  sign  our  request.  By  this 
time  I had  converted  him,  and  not  only  the  Mayor  but  the 
Governor  signed  the  request.  Japan  is  a country  where  regula- 
tions are  not  lightly  set  aside ; but  we  had  permission  for  the 
chair  to  come  in  duty  free  long  before  the  chair  got  here.  It 
came  to  the  city  office.  The  Japanese  pastor  carried  the  man 
there  on  his  back,  and  he  had  his  first  ride  in  the  city  office  in 
the  presence  of  all  the  officials.  We  were  glad  to  be  able  to 
do  this  work  for  a man  who  was  not  a Christian.” 

All  this  took  time  and  trouble,  but  both  were  unselfishly  given 
to  help  an  afflicted  man  who  had  never  been  inside  of  a Chris- 
tian church.  The  result  was  a profound  impression  upon  the 
whole  city  which  recognized  the  spirit  which  animates  the  fol- 
lowers of  Christ. 

The  Gospel  means  something  more  than  physical  aid  for  the 
afflicted,  something  more  than  hospitals,  asylums  and  orphan- 
ages. It  is  not  our  main  object  to  clean  up  houses  and  cities, 
lessen  poverty,  and  change  man’s  external  conditions  so  that 
he  will  be  a more  decent  and  attractive  animal.  But  it  is  also 
true  that  the  Christian  life  means  something  more  than  preach- 
ing and  praying.  The  Epistle  of  James  has  some  caustic  words 
on  this  subject.  W’e  must  enunciate  and  explain  the  teach- 
ings of  Christ : but  we  must  do  more — we  must  show  an  ignor- 
ant people  what  these  teachings  mean  in  daily  life.  The  Old 
Testament  prophets  and  the  New  Testament  apostles  dealt  not 
only  with  doctrines  but  with  the  ills  and  weaknesses  and  wrongs 
of  human  society — the  sick,  the  blind,  the  lame,  the  deaf,  the 
demoniac,  impurity,  intemperance,  shiftlessness,  poverty, 
crime,  oppressions  by  the  rich  and  powerful  and  the  wrongs 
and  suft'erings  of  the  poor.  When  Christ  preached  in  Nazareth 
"He  found  the  place  where  is  was  written:  ‘The  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  is  upon  me.  because  He  anointed  me  to  preach  good  tid- 
ings to  the  poor:  He  hath  sent  me  to  proclaim  release  to  the 
captives,  and  recovering  of  sight  to  the  blind,  to  set  at  liberty 
them  that  are  bruised,  to  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the 
Lord.’  ”*  He  made  the  spirit  of  the  helpfulness  for  human 

•Luke  IV:  17-20. 


1 


T37 


need  one  of  the  proofs  of  ITis  ^fessiahship  wlien  the  discour- 
aged Jolin  the  Baptist  sent  his  disciples  to  ask;  “Art  thou  He 
that  conietli,  or  look  we  for  another?  . . . And  he  answered 
and  said  unto  them,  Go  your  way  and  tell  John  what  things  ye 
have  seen  and  heard  ; the  blind  receive  their  sight,  the  lame 
walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed  and  the  deaf  hear,  the  dead  are 
raised  up,  the  poor  have  good  tidings  preached  to  them.”f 

And  in  His  solemn  description  of  the  rewards  and  punish- 
ments to  be  declared  when  He  “shall  come  in  His  glory,"  He 
declared  that  the  inheritance  should  be  given  to  those  who  had 
ministered  to  their  hungry,  thirsty,  lonely,  sick  and  imprisoned 
fellowmen,  and  that  those  who  had  failed  to  do  this  should  be 
banished  from  His  presence  forever.  + 

Let  us  declare  and  exemplify  the  whole  Gospel  as  Jesus  did. 
RELATIONS  OF  THE  BOARD  AND  THE  MISSIONS— CRITICISMS— 
SPECIAL  OBJECT  GIFTS. 

Under  this  general  heading  I propounded  the  seven  question^ 
noted  on  a preceding  page.  I urged  entire  frankness  in  dis- 
cussing them,  reminding  the  missionaries,  not  only  that  they 
have  a right  to  criticise,  but  that  we  desire  them  to  do  so ; that 
the  Board  has  no  personal  interest  in  its  decisions  except  a de- 
sire to  do  the  best  for  the  cause ; that  a given  ruling  is  based 
on  the  information  or  the  financial  necessities  of  the  time;  and 
that  if  later  information  or  ability  calls  for  modification  or 
reversal,  the  Board  is  cordially  willing  to  change  it<=  attitude. 
“Xothing  is  final,”  I said,  ‘‘except  the  interests  of  the  work; 
and  any  policy  or  method  or  position  is  subject  to  revision 
whenever  the  interests  of  the  work  require  it.”  I have  no  rea- 
son to  believe  that  the  missionaries  hesitated  in  their  response ; 
they  talked  with  the  utmost  freedom  and  did  not  appear  to  feel 
under  any  restraint  whatever. 

First  of  all,  it  shoukl  be  said  that  the  general  attitude  of  the 
missionaries  toward  the  Board  is  one  of  marked  confidence. 
It  would  not  be  possible  for  a representative  of  the  Board  to 
see  and  hear  what  I saw  and  heard  and  doubt  this  for  a mo- 
ment. The  opinion  was  repeatedly  expressed  that  the  rela- 
tions between  the  Board  and  the  missionaries  are  more  satis- 
factory than  they  have  ever  been. 

Criticisms  that  were  made  were  not  in  any  spirit  of  fault- 
finding. Indeed,  1 doubt  whether  they  would  have  oeen  made 
at  all,  if  I had  not  diligently  sought  for  them  and  brought  them 
out.  These  criticisms  may  be  grouped  under  five  classes. 

The  first  relate  to  specific  decisions  of  the  Board,  and  par- 
ticularly to  purchasing  and  shipping  of  goods  and  payments 


tl.uke  VII:  20-22. 
i Note  Matt.  XXV:34-4G 


f 


138 

therefor  and  to  dealing  with  candidates  for  appointment.  It 
is  hardly  worth  while  to  discuss  these  in  a printed  report.  Some 
were  easily  explained ; others  involved  inquiries  regarding  cir- 
cumstances or  mere  questions  of  varying  judgment  m particu- 
lar instances.  I have  taken  them  up  with  the  departments  of 
the  Board  to  which  they  belong. 

The  second  class  relates  to  special  gifts  for  designated  ob- 
jects. The  statement  was  actually  made  that  it  was  not  right 
for  the  Board  to  accept  gifts  for  one  field  and  spend  them  in 
another,  and  I was  solemnly  counseled  that  special  gifts  ought 
not  to  be  diverted.  Of  course,  I asked  whether  specific  in- 
stances of  such  diversion  could  be  cited,  and  I stated  that  if 
they  could  be,  the  Board  would  promptly  make  restitution  and 
apolog\'.  There  are  occasional  miscarriages  of  intentions ; but 
in  my  fifteen  years  as  Secretary,  I recall  less  than  half  a score 
which  were  due  to  errors  in  the  Board’s  office,  and  they  were 
rectified  as  soon  as  the  facts  were  ascertained.  A fairer  form 
of  the  question  was  that  of  a Committee  of  the  Shantung  Con- 
ference : "Can  something  be  done  to  comply  with  the  wish  of 
special  donors,  other  than  allowing  so  many  of  these  gifts  to 
go  into  the  general  fund?  It  is  not  clear  just  how  this  use  of 
a special  gift  is  justified.” 

The  chief  difficulty  arises  from  a misunderstanding  of  the 
principles  which  affect  the  use  of  special  gifts.  In  spite  of  all 
that  has  been  said  and  printed,  the  average  missionary  and 
donor  assume  that  a designated  gift  is  an  addition  to  the 
Board's  regular  appropriations  for  the  year,  and  v.dren  they 
learn  that  it  is  not  in  all  cases  an  addition,  they  are  surprised 
and  perhaps  aggrieved.  I do  not  refer  to  special  gifts  for  new 
property  or  new  missionaries,  which,  from  the  nature  of  the 
case,  are  invariably  appropriated  as  extras ; but  to  contribu- 
tions for  current  work.  The  undesignated  gifts  to  the  Board’s 
treasury  fall  far  short  of  the  cost  of  maintaining  the  mission- 
aries and  their  work.  The  Board  knows  from  experience, 
however,  that  a large  number  of  specially  designated  gifts  will 
be  received  in  the  course  of  a year.  It  does  not  always  know 
who  will  make  those  gifts  or  for  what  objects  they  will  be 
designated ; but  it  is  aware  that  a certain  sum  may  be  counted 
upon. 

Manifestly,  two  courses  are  open  to  the  Board.  One  is  to 
make  "the  regular  appropriation”  at  the  beginning  of  the  fiscal 
year  include  only  such  a sum  as  will  be  covered  by  undesignated 
general  gifts,  and  then  appropriate  the  special  gifts  as  extras 
as  they  are  received.  This  would  be  exactly  in  line  with  the 
present  expectation  of  missionaries  and  donors,  as  every  spe- 
cial gift  would  be  an  extra. 


139 


The  objection  to  this  course  is  that  it  would  mean  consider- 
ably smaller  “regular  appropriations”  than  are  now  made, 
^lissionaries  would  be  subjected  to  great  uncertainty.  They 
would  not  dare  to  ])roject  their  work  on  its  present  scale  or  to 
make  annual  contracts  with  native  evangelists  and  teachers, 
because  they  could  not  tell  whether  the  money  would  be  re- 
ceived. Sums  which  did  come  would  arrive  irregularly.  A 
worker  might  have  to  run  for  nine  or  ten  months  with  nothing 
but  the  Board's  small  appropriation,  in  the  hope  that  the  rest 
might  be  supplied  in  the  last  two  months.  The  whole  work 
would  be  thrown  into  uncertainty  and  confusion,  and  the  re- 
sultant anxiety  to  the  missionary  would  be  serious. 

The  other  course  is  the  one  we  now  follow,  namely,  for  the 
Board  to  relieve  the  missionary  of  this  uncertainty  and  an- 
xiety by  making  an  advance  estimate  of  the  total  amount  of 
money  which  is  likely  to  be  received,  including  these  special 
gifts,  and  then  guarantee  it  to  the  Missions.  In  other  words, 
the  Board  underwrites  special  object  gifts,  transferring  to  itself 
all  the  risk  which  under  the  other  policy  would  rest  upon  the 
missionaries.  Manifestly,  if  the  Board  does  this,  special  gifts 
are  to  be  counted,  when  received,  as  a part  of  the  Board’s 
guarantee ; otherwise  the  Board  could  not  make  it.  The  mis- 
sionary receives  the  special  gifts  of  his  friends  when  he  draws 
his  “regular  appropriations.”  for  they  are  made  up  in  part  of 
the  special  gifts.  The  regular  appropriation  sheets  include  a 
note  which  carefulh^  explains  all  this,  specifically  stating  that 
the  grant  includes  all  known  pledges  and  a further  sum  which 
has  not  yet  been  pledged  but  which  the  Board  expects  will  be 
offered  during  the  year. 

I told  the  missionaries,  therefore,  that  the  Board,  in  handling 
special  gifts  as  parts  of  the  advance  appropriations,  supposed 
that  it  was  acting  in  the  interests  of  the  Missions,  in  order  that 
they  might  have  something  definite  to  depend  upon ; and  I 
asked  whether  they  would  prefer  to  have  the  Board  rescind  that 
section  of  the  iNIanual  which  relates  to  this  policy,  reduce  the 
“regular  appropriations”  at  the  beginning  of  the  fiscal  year  to 
a sum  equal  to  estimated  undesignated  gifts,  and  then  appro- 
priate special  object  gifts  as  extras  as  they  were  received.  I 
stated  that  it  would  be  an  immense  relief  to  the  Board  and  its 
officers  if  the  present  system  were  abandoned,  and  that  we  had 
no  interest  whatever  in  maintaining  it  except  the  conviction 
that  it  was  for  the  benefit  of  the  missionaries  and  their  work. 

I said,  too,  that  as  a rule,  missionaries,  when  the  matter  was 
explained  to  them,  emphatically  endorsed  the  present  policy 
and  deemed  it  the  only  one  on  which  a stable  work  could  be 
maintained ; but  that  the  individual  missionary  was  apt  to  feel 


140 


that  the  policy  did  not  apply  to  gifts  for  his  own  work.  We 
therefore  have  a fine  theory  which  breaks  down  in  practice ; an 
excellent  rule  which  does  not  work.  I added  that  there  had 
been  so  man}-  complaints  on  this  subject  that  one  or  two  things 
should  be  done;  either  the  policy  should  be  changed,  or  mis- 
sionaries  should  unite  with  the  Board  in  the  maintenance  of 
the  present  system  and  in  educating  their  supporters  at  home 
to  be  loyal  to  it.  The  average  American  Christian  designates 
the  object  to  which  he  wishes  his  money  applied,  not  because 
he  has  any  personal  knowledge  of  it,  but  simply  because  he  is 
interested  in  a particular  missionary  and  has  gotten  the  im- 
pression from  him  that  specified  need  is  the  most  import- 
ant one.  Cifts  are  rejieatedly  coming  to  the  Board  for  ob- 
jects of  which  it  would  not  have  been  possible  for  the  donor  to 
hear  except  from  the  missionary  concerned,  and  the  donor 
would  have  designated  his  money  just  as  readily  for  something 
else  if  the  missionary  had  interested  him  in  it.  I urged,  there- 
fore. that  it  was  largely  within  the  power  of  the  missionaries 
to  put  an  end  to  the  frequent  criticisms  on  this  subject;  that  if 
our  jilan  of  handling  special  object  gifts  is  right,  we  ought  to 
follow  it;  and  that  if  it  was  not  right,  we  ought  to  abandon  it. 

\\  ithout  a single  exception,  the  missionaries  at  the  various 
conferences  which  I attended  unanimously  voted  for  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  present  policy.  Perhaps  the  most  representa- 
tive opinion  was  that  e.xpressed  by  the  \\'est  Shantung  Mission, 
which,  at  its  annual  meeting  in  1908.  considered  this  subject  on 
the  basis  of  some  correspondence  at  that  time  with  the  Board : 

"The  A"e«t  Shantung  Mission,  after  careful  consideration  of  certain 
comnninications  from  the  Board : viz,  ‘special  Gifts  and  Current  Work,’ 
'The  use  of  special  Gifts,’  the  letters  of  .-kpril  ist  and  May  26.  1908.  be- 
sides letters  to  individi'al  members  of  the  Mission,  wishes  to  express  its 
views  as,  to  ‘Special  Gifts'  as  follows:  'First  of  all.  the  Mission  would 

express  its  deep  sense  of  obligation  to  the  Board  for  the  feeling  of 
stability  and  encouragement  in  the  work  secured  in  the  past  through 
*^he  Board's  annual  guarantee  of  funds  needed  for  the  year,  and  its 
realization  of  absolute  dependence  for  the  future  for  such  guarantee. 
M’ithout  it  the  work  of  the  Mission  would  be  thrown  into  chaos,  and 
its  efficiency  disastrously  crippled,  .\ccordingly  the  Mission  considers 
it  the  first  duty  of  donors,  of  the  Board  of  the  Mission,  and  of  individ- 
ual missionaries,  to  see  that  the  funds  are  secured  for  the  regular  ap- 
propriation grants.  Special  objects  are  rightly  to  be  considered  of  sec- 
ondary importance. 

"In  the  case  of  such  unsolicited  gifts  as  may  come  to  any  station  or 
missionary,  it  is  understood  that  these  should  be  applied  to  the  work 
provided  for  in  the  annual  appropriations,  unless  this  course  be  abso- 
lutely incompatible  with  the  wish  of  the  donor : in  the  latter  case  they 
should  be  applied  to  the  objects  mentioned  in  column  IV  of  the  esti- 
mates, or  this  also  being  impossible,  to  objects  quite  outside  the  estimates. 
Such  gifts  should  in  each  case  be  reported  to  the  Station  Treasurer, 
and  by  them  reported  to  the  Board,  as  provided  for  in  section  49  of  the 
Manual. 


‘‘The  Mission  furthermore  believes  it  to  be  true  that  wliile  the  Board 
cannot  be  expected  to  accept  special  gifts  for  designated  objects,  unless 
the  objects  are  such  that  the  Board  and  the  Mission  can  wisely  assume 
responsibility  for  them  : yet  we  would  request  the  Board  not  to  decline 
such  gifts  nor  divert  them  to  other  objects  merely  because  the  Mission 
has  not  written  requests  for  them  on  its  estimate  sheets.  Many  objects 
exist  or  which  the  Mission  would  be  willing  to  accept  responsibility 
were  the  money  in  hand  for  them;  but  it  is  evidf'ut  that  the  estimate 
sheets  cannot  contain  every  such  possible  object.  When  therefore  such 
a gift  comes  to  the  Board  designated  for  an  object  not  mentioned  on 
the  Mission  estimate  sheets,  the  Mis.sion  requests  the  Board  to  ascer 
tain  the  desire  of  the  Mi.ssion  before  diverting  the  gift  to  some  other 
object. 

“We  note  that  it  is  the  rule  of  the  Board  to  notify  the  missionary  or 
station  concerned  of  special  gifts  for  their  work  But  we  would  call 
the  attention  of  the  Board  to  the  fact  that  this  has  .sometimes  been 
overlooked:  and  this  neglect  has  caused  embarrassment  by  preventing 
missionaries  from  making  proper  acknowledgment  to  donors,  or  has 
caused  them  to  write  letters  of  self-justification  to  such  givers,  to  the 
effeet  that  certain  special  gifts  have  never  been  received.’’ 

But  while  we  feel  that  the  present  policy  is  the  best  ami,  in- 
deed, the  only  practicable  one,  we  in  the  Board  should  recog- 
nize that  there  are  occasional  special  gifts  which  should  be 
dealt  with  in  an  exceptional  manner.  No  rule  can  cover  every 
case.  Some  gifts  can  be  obtained  as  extras  winch  could  not  be 
obtained  for  anything  else.  We  cannot  reduce  our  whole  fiscal 
system  to  a set  of  iron-bound  regulations.  W e are  dealing  with 
living  agents,  with  a growing  work,  and  with  changing  condi- 
tions. A donor  who  has  given  all  that  he  will  give  in  the  usual 
way  may  be  willing  to  make  an  additional  gift  for  the  station 
of  a missionary  in  whom  he  is  particularly  interested.  We 
should  hold  our.selves  in  readiness  to  give  sympathetic  consid- 
eration to  such  gifts.  W'^e  are  justified  in  making  sure  that  the 
giver  has  borne  bis  part  of  the  burden  for  the  year,  or  that  he 
has  done  all  toward  it  that  he  will  do;  and  we  are  justified  also 
in  insisting  that  the  money  shall  not  be  used  in  ways  which  will 
involve  the  Board  in  additional  responsibilites  after  his  gifts 
shall  have  ceased.  But  within  reasonable  limitations,  we  should 
recognize  im'ividual  interest.  I fear  that  in  onr  anxiety  to  se- 
cure the  funds  which  we  have  pledged  in  the  budget,  we  are  in 
danger  of  too  rigidly  interpreting  a sound  and  necessary  rule. 
Missionaries  can  hardly  realize  the  crushing  sense  of  responsi- 
bility involved  in  a guarantee  of  a million  and  a half  a year, 
when  the  Board’s  income  is  subject  to  all  the  uncertainties 
which  beset  missionary  offerings.  It  is  not  easy  to  assume  an 
impartial  attitude  toward  the  use  of  money  when  we  are  bor- 
rowing to  keep  up  our  pledges  to  the  missionaries,  and  a heavy 
deficit  appears  imminent. 


142 


One  fundamental  difficulty  is  that  the  missionaries  and  the 
Board  are  lacing  in  opposite  directions  on  the  relation  of  spe- 
cial gifts  to  the  regular  appropriations.  The  missionary  agrees 
with  the  Board  that  the  budget  for  the  year  is  the  most  impera- 
tive need ; but  he  feels  that  this  need  has  been  met  by  the 
Board's  guarantee.  He  does  not  therefore  worry  about  it.  He 
stands  with  his  back  toward  it ; his  outlook  is  toward  the  addi- 
tional things  which  ought  to  be  done  and  for  which  the  Board's 
budget  does  not  provide.  He  is  not  considering  how  the  budget 
can  be  met.  but  bow  he  can  get  more.  And  he  needs  more. 
A missionaiy  writes?  "The  difference  of  opinion  between  us 
starts  here.  If  my  missionary  work,  or  that  of  any  other  mem- 
ber of  the  Mission,  was  limited  to  the  work  authorized  in  the 
official  appropriations  for  the  year,  a great  deal  of  that  which  is 
now  going  on  in  the  name  of  the  Board  and  reported  to  the 
Board  would  have  to  stop.  M'e  have  to  turn  in  slices  'of  our 
own  salaries  and  gifts  from  personal  friends  because  the  offi- 
cial appropriations  do  not  cover  other  things  that  must  be  done 
or  kept  up  if  the  regular  work  is  to  meet  with  failures." 

The  Board,  however,  is  facing  the  budget ; for  to  the  Board 
that  is  the  need  which  has  not  been  met.  a need  far  more  urg- 
ent aiifl  vital  than  any  other.  The  missionary  is  therefore 
thinking  of  one  class  of  needs  and  the  Board  of  another  class. 
Missionaries  who  are  privately  supporting  work  outside  of  the 
regular  appropriations  would  not  be  permanently  helped  if  the 
Board  were  to  appropriate  all  special  gifts  as  extras,  b^ause 
that  course  would  simply  impair  the  Board's  ability  to  maintain 
the  regular  appropriations.  Indeed  the  more  money  that  goes  as 
extras  the  worse  the  plight  of  the  missionary  becomes,  for  it 
means  diminishing  regular  appropriations.  The  Board  can- 
not underwrite  special  pledges  if  the  money  when  received  can- 
not be  used  to  redeem  the  guarantee. 

Perhaps  there  is  mutual  danger — danger  that  the  missionaries 
may  not  appreciate  the  Board's  difficulty  in  securing  the  vast 
sum  which  it  has  pledged  to  them,  and  danger  on  the  other  hand 
that  the  Board  will  be  so  anxious  about  its  budget  that  it  may 
discourage  effort  which  might  result  in  a better  equipment 
without  injury  to  the  responsibilities  which  it  has  assumed. 

Criticisms  of  the  third  class  turn  upon  the  rights  of  the 
individual  missionary  as  compared  with  those  of  the  organiza- 
tion to  which  he  belongs.  Some  of  the  most  perplexing  ques- 
tions in  missionary  administration  involve  this  fundamental 
difference  between  individualism  and  organization.  The  mis- 
sionary is  a man  of  energy  and  self-reliance,  who  has  been 
charged  with  responsibilities  for  a certain  work,  who  is  eager  to 


143 


have  that  work  properly  ecjuipped,  and  who  has  friends  who 
are  interested  in  him  and  disposed  to  help  him. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  missionary  is  not  on  the  field  as  an 
independent  individual.  He  voluntarily  applied  for  appoint- 
ment to  a Board  which  represents  the  whole  Church.  In  ac- 
cepting that  appointment,  he  accepted  the  rules  and  regulations 
which  have  been  found  necessary  for  the  orderly  conduct  of 
that  work.  He  is  not  only  a missionary  of  a Church  and  of  a 
Board,  but  a member  of  a Mission.  He  receives  the  large  bene- 
fits which  his  connection  with  the  organized  work  secures.  His 
acts  as  a missionary  involve  both  his  Mission  and  his  Board, 
for  he  is  doing  work  for  whose  maintenance  the  Mission  and 
the  Board  must  provide.  They  have  a right  therefore  to  a 
voice  regarding  his  policies  and  expenditures.  They  cannot 
permit  the  missionary  enterprise  of  the  Church  to  degenerate 
into  a multitude  of  disconnected  and  unregulated  individual 
efforts. 

Neither  of  these  alternatives  can  be  unqualifiedly  accepted 
without  reference  to  the  other.  The  policy  of  individualism 
alone  would  mean  chaos — all  sorts  of  projects  which  would  in- 
volve waste  of  mone}"  and  energy.  A policy  of  organization 
alone  would  make  the  missionary  force  a mere  machine,  or  at 
best  an  army. 

We  must  somehow  recognize  both  the  reasonable  freedom 
of  the  individual  and  the  rights  of  the  organization.  Human 
nature  being  what  it  is,  these  two  divergent  views  will  probably 
never  be  balanced  in  such  a way  that  there  will  be  no  trouble. 
We  are  not  dealing  with  mechanical  units,  but  with  living  men 
and  women.  We  must  always  have  individuals,  and  we  must 
always  have  organizations,  and  to  the  end  of  time  they  will 
occasionally  clash.  Some  individuals  will  forge  ahead,  either 
through  thoughtlessness  or  enthusiasm  or  temperamental  in- 
ability to  submit  to  restraint.  Sometimes,  too.  the  authority  of 
the  organization  will  be  arbitrarily  and  unwisely  exercised  and 
the  result  will  show  that  the  individual  was  right  or  that  he 
has  a just  grievance. 

The  only  principle  that  I can  suggest  is  mutual  recognition 
of  the  fact  that  the  individual  missionary  is  expected  to  assume 
responsibility,  to  take  initiative  and  to  push  his  work  in  every 
possible  way : but  that  he  should  remember  that  even  the  best 
of  men  are  fallible,  that  the  wise  worker  confers  with  his  as- 
sociates, and  that  the  Mission  and  the  Board  have  a right  to  be 
consulted  before  steps  are  taken  which  involve  their  responsi- 
bilities. We  have  inspired  authority  for  the  statement  that 
“none  of  us  liveth  to  himself,”  and  this  is  as  true  in  missionary 
work  as  it  is  in  the  Christian  life. 

J 


144 


Here  again  “the  false  alternative"  should  be  guarded  against. 
The  individual  and  the  organization,  rightl}’  considered,  are 
really  one.  for  the  simple  reason  that  the  organization  is  made 
up  of  individuals  who  are  banded  together  for  mutual  advan- 
tage. It  is  not  necessary,  therefore,  for  a man  to  be  untrue  to 
his  fellows  in  order  to  protect  his  own  interests.  The  best  re- 
sults are  achieved  when  we  work  together. 

But  there  always  will  be  difficulty  at  home  with  people  who 
insist  that  the  missionary  in  whom  they  are  particularly  inter- 
ested shall  be  dealt  with  in  an  exceptional  way.  They  do  not 
see  why  he  should  not  have  all  the  money  he  wants  if  they  are 
willing  to  supply  it.  They  fail  to  realize  that  the  Board  and 
the  Missions  endeavor  to  conduct  the  whole  work  on  an  equi- 
table scale,  and  that  they  cannot  permit  one  worker  to  be  left 
with  half  what  he  needs  while  his  associate  has  double,  or  one 
school  to  be  closed  for  lack  of  funds  while  another  in  the  same 
Mission  is  adding  new  equipment.  Every  one  admits  that  the 
Board's  rule  is  sound,  but  no  amount  of  explanation  will  con- 
vince some  donors  that  the  rule  is  fairly  applicable  in  their  spe- 
cial case : so  that  we  might  as  well  make  up  our  minds  that 
this  class  of  criticisms  will  continue.  We  may  solace  ourselves 
with  the  reflection  that  these  criticisms  are  not  nearly  as  num- 
erous and  formidable  as  those  which  we  would  get  from  the 
missionaries  and  their  friends  if  we  adopted  the  opposite  policy. 
Our  work  then,  instead  of  making  orderly  progress,  would  be 
fiHul  and  spasmodic. 

Criticisms  of  the  fourth  class  are  the  most  numerous  and  per- 
sistent. They  assume  various  forms,  but  all  resolve  them- 
selves into  the  common  need  of  more  men  and  money.  “Why 
does  the  Board  leave  our  station  so  poorly  manned’’’  “Does 

it  realize  that  i\Ir.  is  killing  himself  with  overwork?’’ 

“The  Board  will  not  permit  us  to  take  advantage  of  our  oppor- 
tunities." “The  Board  refuses  to  give  us  necessary  buildings.’’ 
“^^’hy  does  the  Board  persist  in  the  policy  of  keeping  its  work 
under-manned  and  under-equipped?’’  “It  is  amazing  that  the 
Board  should  close  a hospital  during  the  furlough  of  a physi- 
cian.” These  statements,  and  a dozen  others  of  similar  import, 
are  common  in  interviews  and  correspondence.  They  are  ap- 
parently based  upon  the  almost  pathetic  assumption  that  the 
Board  is  omnipotent,  that  unlimited  resources  in  a rich  home 
Church  are  at  its  command,  and  that  it  can  do  an)qhing  that  it 
really  wants  to  do ; so  that  if  it  does  not  give  all  the  funds  and 
reinforcements  that  are  needed,  it  is  either  because  the  Board 
is  indifferent  or  the  Secretary  has  failed  to  inform  it. 

IMost  missionaries,  however,  understand  the  limitations  un- 
der which  the  Board  operates,  and  the}'  know  that  the  Board 


145 


would  gladly  do  a great  deal  more  if  it  could.  It  may  be  said 
that  the  Board  .should  get  more  money ; but  missionaries  on 
furlough  who.  with  the  full  approval  of  the  Board,  have  tried 
to  raise  large  sums  have  found  that  it  is  not  so  easy  to  get 
money  as  they  had  imagined.  Small  sums  for  particularly  at- 
tractive objects  can  usually  be  picked  up  without  difficulty; 
but  enough  to  justif}’  real  advance  is  another  matter.  One 
able  missionary  failed  to  secure  $35,000  for  the  college  with 
which  he  is  connected,  although  the  Board  gave  him  almost 
carte  blanche  for  two  years.  About  a decade  ago,  the  Board 
authorized  an  effort  to  raise  $250,000  for  the  equipment  and 
endowment  of  another  college.  Six  different  representatives 
of  that  college  have  worked  at  this  fund,  one  of  them  on  a 
salary  for  a year,  and  the  total  amount  raised  thus  far  is  only 
about  a quarter  of  the  amount  sought.  If  there  is  any  one 
thing  that  the  Board  and  it;^  officers  know  more  clearly  than 
anything  else,  it  is  that  the  Missions  need  re-enforcements  and 
larger  grants.  M e have  to  face  for  all  the  Missions  the  ques- 
tion which  each  Mission  has  to  face  for  its  stations— namely, 
how  to  make  an  inadequate  force  and  appropriation  provide 
for  needs  which  call  for  considerably  larger  supplies.  It  is 
natural  that  those  whose  work  sorelv  needs  more  money  should 
occasionally  become  impatient  because  it  is  not  forthcoming. 

better  mutual  understanding  between  the  missionaries  and 
the  Board  will  not  only  make  the  Board  more  patient  and  sym- 
pathetic with  the  lonelv  and  over-burdened  workers  on  the 
field,  but  will  make  them  more  patient  and  sympathetic  with  us. 
The  Missions  and  the  Board  are  working  together  for  a com- 
mon end.  and  each  will  do  its  part  better  when  each  knows 
and  appreciates  the  difficulties  and  the  brotherly  good  will  of 
the  other. 

Criticisms  of  the  fifth  class  are  to  the  effect  that  the  Board 
starts  new  work  while  the  old  work  is  ill-equipped.  Return- 
ing travelers  often  join  missionaries  in  this  criticism.  Few 
missionaries  and  travelers  realize  that  the  Board  is  far  more 
conservative  than  the  ^Missions  on  this  subject.  Missions  are 
continually  asking  the  Board  to  open  new  work,  and  the  Board 
is  almost  as  continually  replying  that  it  can  not  do  so  in  justice 
to  existing  work.  Two  [Missions  in  China  passed  resolutions 
protesting  against  opening  new  work  until  the  old  was  better 
cared  for,  and  at  the  very  same  meetings  urged  the  Board  to 
open  a great  deal  of  new  work  within  their  own  bounds.  Sev- 
eral recent  travelers  have  strongly  protested  against  the  estab- 
lishment of  more  stations  until  we  can  more  adequately  main- 
tain those  that  we  have,  and  in  the  same  interview  have  insisted 
that  a statesmanlike  policy  would  greatly  extend  work  in  such 


146 


strategic  fields  as  Korea,  China,  and  the  Philippines,  where 
expenditures  promise  the  largest  results. 

As  a matter  of  fact,  both  Missions  and  travelers  are  right, 
for  there  are  two  sides  to  this  question.  Unquestionably  there 
should  be  due  regard  to  the  needs  of  existing  work,  and  cau- 
tion shoidd  be  exercised  in  developing  new  work  when  that 
already  in  hand  is  not  properly  equipped.  This  is  and  has  been 
the  policy  of  the  Board. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  argument  that  new  work  should  not 
be  opened  until  the  old  is  well  equipped  would  have  confined 
Christianity  to  Palestine  and  Syria.  There  never  was  an  old 
field  in  greater  need  than  Antioch  when  the  Holy  Ghost  or- 
dered Paul  and  Barnabas  to  go  out  and  open  new  stations.  The 
missionary  who  urges  that  new  work  should  not  be  openevl 
until  the  old  is  well  supported  cuts  the  ground  from  under  his 
own  feet,  for  on  that  policy  his  own  work  would  never  have 
been  started.  The  .\merican  churches  were  for  the  most  part 
small  and  weak,  their  .schools  and  colleges  were  struggling  for 
existence,  when  the  Protestant  missionary  enterprise  was  in- 
augurated. Missionaries  would  never  have  been  sent  out  if  the 
Church  had  listened  to  the  protest  under  consideration.  Indeed 
the  most  frequent  objection  to  foreign  missions  today  is  that 
we  ought  not  to  send  so  much  abroad  when  there  is  so  much 
to  be  done  at  home.  If  the  missionary  imagines  that  the  old 
work  at  home  is  well-equipped  even  after  all  these  year?,  let 
him  correspond  with  the  secretaries  of  our  Boards  of  Home 
Missions  and  Church  Erection,  and  with  the  presidents  of  the 
western  colleges  upon  which  we  chiefly  depend  for  our  min- 
isterial supply. 

The  fact  is  that  God  sometimes  makes  it  clear  that  new  work 
should  be  undertaken  even  when  the  old  does  need  more  help, 
an.l  it  does  not  necessarily  follow  that  the  new  work  is  at  the 
expense  of  the  old.  It  mav  represent  not  only  new  gifts  which 
would  not  otherwise  have  been  received,  but  an  enlarged  sym- 
pathy and  strength  which  are  helpful  to  the  whole  enterprise. 
Who  will  say  that  it  was  a mistake  to  enter  Macedonia  before 
Asia  Minor  was  evangelized,  or  to  enter  Korea  before  a tenth 
of  Africa  was  enlightened  by  the  Gospel,  or  to  send  mission- 
aries to  China  before  America  was  half  Christianized?  We 
must  follow  the  leadings  of  Providence,  making  sure  however 
that  Providence  is  leading.  We  must  avoid  the  opposite  ex- 
tremes of  a stubborn  conservatism  and  a rash  progressiveness. 
Xo  cast-iron  rule  can  be  laid  down  that  will  apply  to  every 
case.  Each  call  must  be  judged  upon  its  merits.  When  there 
is  doubt  about  the  advisability  of  undertaking  new  work,  the 
benefit  should  be  given  to  present  obligations.  It  is,  as  a rule. 


U7 


fair  to  assume  that  a lialf-finished  enterprise  should  be  com- 
pleted before  we  begin  a new  one.  W'e  have  a right  to  insist 
that  the  fresh  adventure  shall  demonstrate  its  rights  by  a call 
clear  beyond  reasonable  cjnestion. 

FIELD  SUPERVISION  OF  MISSION  WORK. 

The  chief  difficulties  in  our  present  methods  of  mission  or- 
ganization and  control  are  two : 

The  first  is  that  our  methods  do  not  make  adequate  provi- 
sion for  a broad  study  of  the  situation  in  a given  country  and 
for  forming  and  executing  large  plans.  Each  missionary 
is  assigned  a local  work,  which  is  so  exacting  as  to  require 
all  his  time.  Indeed,  he  is  often  over-worked.  There  is  no 
one  who  can  give  himself  to  study  and  effort  along  the  wider 
lines  of  mission  policy  and  development.  There  may  be  some 
individual  who  sees  what  ought  to  be  done,  but  it  is  not  his 
special  duty  to  do  it.  He,  like  his  associates,  is  already  over- 
burdened. Perhaps,  too,  his  modesty  prevents  him  from  tak- 
ing the  lead.  Our  Presbyterian  work  as  a whole  impresses  me 
as  characterized  by  an  immense  amount  of  faithful  and  labori- 
ous local  effort  but  by  an  absence  of  unity  of  movement, 
breadth  of  conception  and  definiteness  of  plan.  Large  things 
that  need  to  be  done  are  apt  to  be  neglected,  because  they  are 
everybody's  business,  which  practically  means  nobody’s  busi- 
ness. We  have  eight  Missions  in  China,  and  these  Missions, 
although  working  in  a common  country,  among  a common 
people  ami  for  common  ends,  are  working  independently  of  one 
another.  The  South  China  Mission  has  hardly  any  more  con- 
tact with  the  North  China  Mission  than  it  has  with  the  West 
Africa  Mission.  Missionaries  in  one  part  of  the  Empire  seldom 
know  what  their  associates  in  another  part  are  doing.  Once  in 
a hundred  years,  there  is  a Shanghai  Conference  where  mis- 
sionaries of  all  communions  get  together,  and  occasionally  there 
are  sectional  assemblages  of  missionaries ; but  such  meetings 
are  too  occasional  and  exceptional  to  afford  adequate  relief. 

Nor  is  this  want  of  co-or, filiation  peculiar  to  China.  I could 
name  two  Missions  in  another  country  which,  until  recently, 
have  moved  along  opposite  lines  of  policy  on  a fundamental 
matter,  with  resultant  confusion  which  has  done  no  small  harm 
to  the  work.  When  I inquired  why  two  other  adjacent  Mis- 
sions should  not  be  united,  I was  told  that  their  policies  were 
different.  Why  should  Presbyterian  missionaries  in  a region 
no  larger  than  an  American  State  be  working  at  cross  pur- 
poses? Even  in  the  same  Mission,  the  policies  of  stations  are 
sometimes  not  alike.  Grant  that  some  diversity  is  a necessary 
concomitant  of  a living  and  growing  work ; are  such  conditions 
justifiable  ? 


148 


The  second  difficulty  is  the  frequent  failure  of  the  Alissions 
to  make  the  judgment  of  the  majority  effective.  This  is  not 
true  of  all  our  ^Missions,  or  of  any  one  iNIission  at  all  times; 
but  it  is  common  enough  to  challenge  attention  and  remedy.  I 
reiterate  my  long  established  conviction  that  the  Board  can 
safely  trust  and  wisely  follow  the  concensus  of  missionary 
judgment;  but  our  methods  often  fail  to  disclose  to  the  Board 
what  that  concensus  really  is.  A ^Mission  is  supposed  to  be  the 
organized  body  of  all  the  missionaries  residing  within  a given 
territory,  comprising  anywhere  from  three  stations  to  nine  or 
ten.  These  stations  are  supposed  to  be  united  in  the  ^Mission ; 
but  the  union  is  sometimes  nominal  rather  than  real.  The  Mi.s- 
sion  meets  only  once  a year.  Its  docket  is  crowded  with  rou- 
tine business.  It  hears  reports,  makes  out  fiscal  estimates,  at- 
tends to  a variety  of  pressing  matters,  has  inspiring  devotional 
meetings,  affords  delightful  fellowship,  and  then  it  adjourns 
for  a year.  Our  theory  is  excellent,  but  in  practice  each  sta- 
tion does  about  as  it  pleases  and  carries  on  its  work  in  its  own 
way.  If  it  is  following  some  line  which  the  majority  of  the 
Alission  disapprove,  there  is  often  no  one  whose  official  duty 
it  is  to  apply  a check.  Correction  waits  for  individual  initia- 
tive ; and  the  individual  may  be  reluctant  to  criticise  where  he 
is  not  personally  concerned,  or  he  may  not  be  wise  aiid  tactful 
enough  to  achieve  the  desired  result. 

The  problem  of  personal  relationships  in  a Mission  is  far 
more  difficult  and  delicate  than  it  is  easy  for  those  in  the  home- 
land to  realize.  An  experienced  missionary  writes;  “In  the 
nature  of  the  case,  perhaps  there  is  no  circle  in  the  world,  ex- 
cept the  family  circle,  in  which  its  members  need  to  guard  one 
another's  susceptibilities  so  carefully,  as  the  foreign  luissionary 
circle.  The  fewness,  the  intimacy,  the  parity,  the  isolation,  the 
conspicuousness,  the  indispensable  harmony,  all  conspire  to 
make  this  so.  It  follows  that  delicate  subjects  affecting  per- 
sonal and  local  interests  are  nowhere  in  the  world  so  difficult 
to  handle,  as  in  the  mission  circle.  And  it  is  often  necessary, 
in  the  interest  of  internal  harmony,  to  neglect  or  postpone  im- 
portant measures.  Hence,  in  dealing  with  such  questions,  the 
Board  must  often  need  to  take  the  initiative,  and  to  follow  it 
up  if  necessary  with  no  little  pressure,  to  counteract  the  per- 
sonal forces  at  work,  and  get  beyond  the  compromises  into 
which  these  are  apt  to  lead,  and  into  the  region  of  the  inde- 
pendent and  impartial  judgment  of  the  Mission  as  a whole.” 

An  eager  individual  wishes  to  buy  or  build  or  begin  a new 
work.  His  associates  may  hesitate  to  oppose  him.  Perhaps 
they  feel  that  the  Boar.l  must  decide  anyway.  The  motion, 
therefore  gets  a perfunctory  acquiescent  vote  which  simply 


refers  it  to  New  York.  The  Board  receives  what  purports  to 
be  a unanimous  request  from  a trusted  Mission,  together  with 
urgent  letters  from  the  individual  interested.  The  Board  may 
not  know  that  manv  of  the  members  of  the  Mission  doubt  the 
wisdom  of  the  proposal,  and  would  be  secretly  relieved  if  the 
Board  would  veto  it. 

Such  cases  are  not  general,  but  they  occur  often  enough  to 
be  disquieting.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  our  missionary 
work  as  a whole  is  still  almost  in  the  condition  described  in 
the  book  of  Judges,  when  "every  man  did  that  which  was  right 
in  his  own  eyes.”  In  s])ite  of  our  admirable  principles  of  or- 
ganization, our  work  is  unduly  characterized  by  individualism. 
Even  when  the  organization  does  act  decisively,  it  sometimes 
acts  spasmodically  and  irregularly  under  the  impulse  of  the 
particular  leaders  who  may  for  the  time  be  prominent.  Mis- 
sionaries frequently  lamented  to  me  in  private  that  in  station 
and  mission  meetings  there  was  altogether  too  much  of  the 
feeling:  “You  let  me  alone,  and  I’ll  let  you  alone;  you  vote  for 
what  I want,  and  I’ll  vote  for  what  you  want.”  I could  cite 
illustrations ; but  each  one  would  probably  be  identified  as  a 
sore  subject  with  some  Alission.  I shall  be  relieved  and  grate- 
ful if  any  one  who  really  knows  the  situation  can  successfully 
challenge  the  accuracy  of  my  statements.  I am  more  than 
willing  to  be  convinced  that  my  conclusions  are  wrong,  for  they 
are  as  distasteful  to  me  as  they  can  be  to  any  one. 

Let  no  reader  get  the  impression  that  missionaries  are  ex- 
ceptionally prone  to  disputes.  There  is  no  more  fiiction  on 
the  foreign  field  than  there  is  at  home ; but  abroad  the  workers 
are  so  closely  associated  and  their  personal  interests  are  so  in- 
extricably intertwined,  that  difficulties  more  quickly  affect  the 
common  peace  and  work. 

Readers  of  this  report  who  do  not  belong  to  our  Church 
should  not  lay  the  flattering  unction  to  their  souls  that  Presby- 
terians are  sinners  above  their  brethren.  What  I have  said 
applies  witii  equal  and  sometimes  greater  force  to  missionaries 
of  all  communions,  except  those  which  have  Bishops,  and  in 
some  cases  even  to  them.  A Bishop  has  to  be  a masterful  man 
to  overcome  the  difficulties  under  discussion ; and  when  he  is 
such  a man,  his  very  masterfulness  engenders  other  d.ifficulties 
which  most  Presbyterian,  Baptist  and  Congregational  mission- 
aries regard  as  more  serious  than  those  which  now  trouble 
them. 

W’e  are  not  dealing  with  an  easy  problem.  The  missionary 
force  is  not  an  army  that  it  can  be  ordered  about  by  generals, 
nor  are  missionaries  gentle,  timid  little  souls  who  will  meekly 
submit  to  leadership.  Our  missionaries  are  strong,  self-reliant, 


150 


energetic  men  and  women,  who  have  ideas  of  their  own  and 
want  to  push  them.  I am  glad  that  this  is  so.  I respect  men 
of  that  type  far  more  than  I respect  the  flabby  weaklings  who 
haven’t  spunk  enough  to  make  a blunder.  When  a certain  can- 
didate for  appointment  was  described  to  us  as  so  faithful  and 
obedient  that  if  we  set  him  to  watch  a rat  hole,  he  would  stay 
there  for  a year  unless  we  relieved  him,  the  Board  promptly 
decided  that  he  had  better  watch  his  rat  hole  in  the  United 
States.  Better  the  freedom,  variety  and  initiative  of  vigorous 
life  than  a mechanical  or  apathetic  uniformity.  But  is  that  the 
alternative?  May  we  not  have  life  and  a uniformity  that  is 
neither  mechanical  or  apathetic?  Liberty  is  consistenc  with  or- 
der ; it  is  not  individualism  gone  to  seed.  How  to  have  able, 
resourceful  missionaries  work  effectively  together  is  the 
problem. 

I do  not  wish  my  remarks  to  be  understood  as  too  sweeping. 
I could  easily  mention  IMissions  which  are  supervising  their 
work  with  reasonable  effectiveness.  It  should  be  borne  in  mind, 
too,  that  some  difficulties  which  are  unmanageable  imder  our 
system  are  unmanageable  under  any  system,  simply  because 
they  spring  out  of  characteristics  of  human  nature  which  grace 
does  not  eradicate.  Is  the  problem  peculiar  to  the  foreign 
field?  Is  it  not  precisely  this  difficulty  which  characterizes  our 
Presbyteries  and  Synods  and  General  Assembly  at  home  ? The 
typical  Presbyterian  Mission  in  Asia  is  managing  its  affairs  in 
about  the  same  way  as  the  typical  Presbytery  is  managing  its 
affairs  in  the  United  States.  Indeed,  some  familiarity  with 
both  Alissions  and  Presbyteries  inclines  me  to  believe  that  our 
Alission  organizations  are  more  efficient  than  our  Presbyterial. 

The  supervision  which  is  now  most  continuously  and 
generally  operative  is  that  of  the  Board.  There  must  be  a 
Board  and  it  must  have  final  authority,  subject  only  to  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly.  But  its  members  are  among  the  busiest  minis- 
ters and  laymen  in  America,  and  they  cannot  possibly  give  their 
personal  attention  to  the  innumerable  and  complicated  details 
of  our  vast  and  widely  extended  work.  The  practical  super- 
vision, therefore,  falls  upon  the  Secretaries;  but  they  cannot 
do  everything  that  needs  to  be  done.  We  need  not  resort  to 
the  Orientalism  of  depreciating  unduly  the  Secretaries’  knowl- 
edge of  the  work  and  its  problems.  But  how  can  men  ten 
thousand  miles  away  wisely  regulate  the  countless  local  affairs 
of  missionaries  in  Asia  and  Africa?  It  seems  to  me  that  our 
present  methods  centralize  too  much  control  in  the  Secretaries 
of  the  Board.  No  one  but  an  angel  from  Heaven  could  have 
wisely  decided  all  the  questions  and  effectively  done  all  the 


things  that  I was  expected  to  do  on  tliis  trip  and  that  we  are 
constantly  expected  to  do  in  the  office. 

Questions  often  arise  which  missionaries  feel  that  they  can- 
not settle  under  the  present  policy,  chiefly  because  there  is  no 
one  who  has  authority  to  settle  them  and  no  one  who  is  suffi- 
ciently detached  from  local  relationships  to  enable  him  to  han- 
dle them  impersonally  upon  their  merits  without  personal  com- 
plications. So  these  questions  are  referred  to  the  Secretary  of 
the  Board  if  he  is  on  the  field,  or  sent  to  him  if  he  is  in  New 
York.  But  secretaries  are  few  in  number ; their  wisdom,  like 
Sam  Weller's  “wision,”  “is  limited,”  and  what  there  is  of  it  is 
on  the  other  side  of  the  world.  There  is  always  danger  in  such 
circumstances  that  we  may  act  upon  partial  information,  as  the 
letters  from  the  field  may  state  some  elements  of  the  case  out 
of  proportion.  Our  present  system  requires  the  Secretaries  to 
be  infallible  popes.  The  foreign  missionary  work  of  our 
Church  has  come  to  be  too  vast,  too  widely  distributed,  it  in- 
volves too  many  people  and  interests,  to  make  it  longer  prudent 
for  the  missionaries,  the  Board,  and  the  Church,  to  depend  so 
largely  upon  the  omniscience  of  four  Secretaries  in  New  York. 

I am  aware  of  the  limitations  of  this  position.  Many  of  the 
wants  of  Missions  involve  the  responsibility  of  the  Board  in 
providing  funds,  and  in  such  matters,  the  Board  must,  of 
course,  have  a final  voice.  Occasionally,  too.  Mission  requests 
are  contrary  to  the  concensus  of  missionary  experience  in  many 
lands  and  throughout  a long  series  of  years.  Secretaries  are  in 
a better  position  to  know  that  concensus  of  opinion  than  the 
members  of  an  isolated  Mission,  for  we  are  so  placed  that  we 
are  in  touch  with  all  the  Missions  and  also  with  the  home 
Church.  I do  not  mean,  therefore,  that  the  Board  should  abdi- 
cate its  powers  and  duties;  but  1 do  feel  and  1 have  felt  for 
years  that  there  is  an  increasing  tendency  on  the  part  of  the 
Missions  to  refer  many  matters  to  New  York  which  might 
properly  be  settled  on  the  field,  if  there  were  some  recognized 
authority  there  to  settle  them.  Missions  would  probably  act 
under  a weghtier  sense  of  responsibility  if  they  knew  that  the 
decision  more  often  rested  with  them  instead  of  with  a distant 
Board. 

The  difficulties  of  the  present  situation  are  no  more  the  fault 
of  the  missionaries  than  they  are  our  fault.  There  are  no  abler 
or  wiser  Christian  workers  anywhere  than  those  who  represent 
our  Church  abroad.  They  can  handle  a larger  proportion  of 
their  problems  and  manage  their  work  more  efficiently  if  they 
are  organized  aright.  I could  name  dozens  of  missionaries  who 
are  admirably  qualified  to  render  valuable  service  of  this  kind 
if  it  were  specifically  assigned  to  them  and  if  they  were  so  re- 


152 


leased  from  local  work  that  they  would  have  opportunity  for  it. 
An  illustration  of  this  occurred  a few  years  ago.  Trouble 
broke  out  m a certain  station.  It  increased  and,  as  in  the  case 
of  most  troubles  on  the  field,  was  in  time  referred  to  New 
York  for  settlement.  The  facts  as  presented  to  the  Board  ap- 
peared to  be  so  diametrically  opposed  that  it  was  difficult  to 
decide  which  party  was  right.  Each  seemed  to  be  right  in  some 
things  and  wrong  in  others,  an  inextricable  tangle  of  difficul- 
ties. The  Board,  on  recommendation  of  the  Secretaries,  finally 
appointed  three  missionaries  from  other  Missions  to  go  to  that 
station  and  straighten  things  out.  They  went,  dealt  with  all 
concerned  face  to  face  and  heart  to  heart,  and  handled  the 
whole  matter  with  a combination  of  firmness,  judgment  and 
tact  which  could  not  have  been  surpassed  and  which  proved 
effective.  Why  not  have  a standing  committee  which  can  deal 
with  local  questions  before  they  reach  the  troublesome  stage? 

The  Presb3’terian  Church  at  home  has  led  the  way  toward 
reform  by  constituting  Executive  Commissions  which  are  now 
trving  to  get  some  order  out  of  chaos  and  to  give  to  our  Church 
as  a whole  greater  unity  and  efficiency,  while  at  the  same  time 
preserving  that  full  measure  of  liberty  which  Presbyterians  so 
highly  prize.  This  is  substantially  what  I recommend  for  the 
foreign  field.  Each  of  our'  Missions  ought  to  have  an  Execu- 
tive Committee,  an  1 the  Chairman’s  local  station  work  should 
be  so  lightened  that  it  will  be  possible  for  him  to  attend  to  such 
general  duties  as  may  be  assigned  to  him.  Where  there  are 
several  Missions  in  one  countiy  as  in  China,  the  Chairmen  of 
the  Mission  Executive  Committees  should  constitute  a Na- 
tional Executive  Committee,  whose  Chairman  should  be  ex- 
pected to  give  his  whole  time  to  the  work  of  the  Committee. 

There  are  other  and  larger  reasons  for  the  proposed  improv- 
ed field  organization.  Correct  and  balanced  information  is  in- 
dispensable to  the  Board  if  it  is  to  discharge  its  responsibilities 
wisely  and  for  the  best  interests  of  the  missionaries  and  the 
Church.  Present  methods  make  it  difficult  for  us  to  get  that 
information.  We  are  unduly  dependent  upon  secretarial  visits 
to  the  field  which  are  necessarily  occasional,  and  upon  corres- 
pondence which  is  apt  to  be  one-sided.  Some  of  the  best  mis- 
sionaries are  poor  or  irregular  letter  writers.  There  should  be 
a Committee  in  each  Mission  whose  business  it  is  to  see  that  the 
real  judgment  of  the  whole  missionary  body  in  that  field  is 
properly  expressed  to  the  Board.  Such  an  arrangement  would 
be  of  great  benefit  to  the  missionaries,  ensuring  a fair  knowl- 
edge of  their  views  and  a greater  probability  that  they  will  be 
carried  into  effect.  The  Chairman  of  such  a Commiitee  would 
be  of  great  service  to  his  brethren.  He  would  be  available  for 


153 


counsel  and  assistance  wherever  needed.  It  would  be  a bless- 
ing to  the  lonely  workers  in  many  an  isolated  station  to  have  a 
visit  from  a strong,  experienced  missionary,  who  could  help  in 
some  special  meetings  and  bring  cheer  in  many  wa>s.  There 
are,  too,  public  interdenominational  occasions  in  most  countries 
at  which  such  a man  would  he  a proper  representative. 

I hope  that  no  timid  souls  will  feel  that  these  proposals  in- 
volve the  development  of  any  ecclesiastical  authority.  Surely, 
we  are  not  prepared  to  say  that  Presbyterianism  is  so  inherent- 
ly weak  that  it  necessarily  implies  inefficiency.  I have  no  sym- 
pathy with  the  type  of  Presbyterianism  which  lies  awake 
nights  for  fear  that  some  one  or  something  will  encroach  upon 
liberty.  The  average  Presbyterian  loves  power  as  well  as  any 
other  man?  and  expects  his  authority  to  be  recognized  in  his 
family,  his  Church  and  his  work.  But  he  does  not  intend  to 
have  any  one  rule  him.  Well,  I am  not  proposing  that  any  one 
shall  rule  him,  but  simply  that  he  or  one  of  his  equals  shall  be 
so  placed  that  he  can  help  the  work  of  all.  The  Chairman  of 
an  Executive  Committee  should  not  be  understood  as  having 
any  superior  rank  or  dignity.  He  ought  to  be  a missionary  like 
his  brethren,  a man  who  has  had  practical  experience  on  the 
field,  who  knows  the  language  of  the  people,  who  is  familiar 
with  mission  problems  and  methods,  and  who  unites  ability  and 
wisdom.  He  should  be  elected  for  a limited  temi  of  years  and 
required  to  work  in  consultation  with  and  under  the  control  of 
his  Executive  Committee.  His  election  should  be  ratified  by 
the  Board,  and  the  bodies  which  elect  him  should  be  free  to 
call  him  to  account  and,  if  necessary,  to  dismiss  liim.  His 
term  will  expire  anyway,  and  he  need  not  be  re-elected  if  he  is 
not  satisfactory.  Such  a man  would  no  more  interfere  with 
the  reasonable  liberty  of  in.lividuals  than  American  Mayors 
and  Governors  interfere  with  the  civil  liberty  of  citizens.  A 
Mission  is  in  a bad  way  if  it  does  not  have  at  least  one  man 
who  can  be  trusted  to  work  for  the  interests  of  all,  especially 
when  he  i.s^  elected  by  his  associates  and  is  related  to  a Com- 
mittee which  is  responsible  to  them.  Even  the  Baptists,  whose 
principles  of  church  polity  might  be  supposed  to  make  them  the 
most  conservative  on  this  question,  have  adopted  the  plan  of 
appointing  "General  Missionaries"  whose  functions  are  much 
the  same  as  those  of  the  Chairman  of  Executive  Committees 
now  under  consideration.  In  reply  to  objections,  the  Execu- 
tive Committee  of  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union  ap- 
proved a letter  by  its  Secretary,  the  Rev.  Thomas  S.  Barbour, 
D.D.,  in  which  he  said; 

“The  Committee  has  been  surprised  to  learn  that  employment  of  the 
new  agency  is  thought  by  some  to  be  out  of  harmony  with  accepted 


154 


denominational  standards.  The  practice  of  our  Home  Mission  Soci- 
ety. in  the  home  field  and  in  the  work  in  Porto  Rico  and  Cuba,  is  well 
known.  Indeed,  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  employment  of  General  Mis- 
sionaries invohes  unjust  infringement  upon  personal  liberty  unless 
other  familiar  features  of  missionary  administration  are  open  to  the 
same  accusation ; e.  g.,  creation  of  a Board  of  Managers  and  an  E.xecu- 
tive  Committee  (at  home)  and  appointment  of  Corresponding  Secre- 
taries. Administrative  work  compels  employment  of  administrative 
agencies.  The  thought  that  the  office  of  General  Missionaries  is  an- 
alogous to  the  bishopric  of  churches  of  the  Episcopalian  order  obvious- 
ly is  erroneous,  both  because  the  agency  has  no  relation  to  the  govern- 
ment of  churches  and  because  it  is  expressly  provided  that  its  function 
shall  be  not  that  of  exercise  of  authority  but  purely  that  of  brotherly 
counsel  and  cooperation.  The  Committee  cannot  believe  that  they  should 
hesitate  to  avail  themselves  of  the  advantages  afforded  by  the  new 
agency  because  of  a fear  that  the  General  Missionary  may  develop  an 
autocratic  spirit.  Without  doubt  he  should  be  on  his  guard  against 
such  a possibility.  But  the  peril  must  be  recognized  as  pertaining  to  all 
official  positions  created  by  missionary  administration, — to  the  work  of 
the  Board  of  Managers,  the  Executive  Committee  and  the  Secretaries, 
and)  to  the  relation  sustained  by  missionaries  to  bodies  of  believers.” 

Baptist  missionaries  liave  so  long  been  accnstome  1 to  inde- 
pendence of  one  another  on  the  field  and  to  government  only  by 
the  Executive  Committee  and  its  Secretary  in  Boston,  that  it 
is  diiificult  for  them  to  accept  the  new  arrangement , but  that 
it  is  a long  step  in  the  right  direction  is  apparent  to  everyone 
who  studies  the  question  from  a disinterested  viewpoint.  The 
eft’ort  to  supervise  effectively  local  details  on  the  field  by  means 
of  a ten  days’  conference  of  missionaries  once  a year  is  not  a 
success.  Recognition  of  this  is  not  a modification  of  Presby- 
terianism. It  is  simply  an  application  of  its  inherent  principles 
to  the  conditions  of  modern  life. 

The  Board  is  aware  that  this  subject  has  been  up  before. 
Feb.  i6,  1903,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Calvin  Alateer,  of  the  East  Shan- 
tung Mission,  pre.sented  a written  statement  to  the  Board, 
frankly  criticising  methods  of  field  organization  and  strongly 
urging  Mission  Committees  of  Superintendence.  The  Board 
heard  Dr.  Mateer's  statement  with  great  interest,  but  deferred 
definite  action,  pending  my  report  as  to  the  judgment  of  vari- 
ous ^Missions  which  I consulted  during  my  former  visit  to 
Asia,  Dr.  Mateer  having  given  me  a copy  of  his  statement  be- 
fore he  came  home  on  furlough.  I reported  that  the  Alissions 
which  I visited  did  not  concur  in  all  the  statements  of  Dr.  Ma- 
teer’s  paper  and  expressed  varying  judgments  with  reference 
to  the  plan,  but  that  I believed  that  the  appointment  of  Execu- 
tive Committees  with  larger  duties  and  responsibilities  would 
be  helpful  to  many  Alissions.  The  Board  sent  Dr.  Alateer’s 
suggestions  and  my  report  and  recommendation  thereon  to  all 
the  Alissions  in  a circular  letter  dated  August  i,  1904,  adding: 


155 


“As  you  know  the  Manual  of  the  Board  has  for  some  years  provided 
for  Executive  Committees  in  the  various  Missions  as  follows:  Any 

Mission  may  at  its  annual  meeting  appoint  :in  Executive  Committee,  ad 
interim,  to  have  authority  to  indorse  as  approved  any  request  to  the 
Board.  All  actions  submitted  to  the  Committee  must  have  the  approval 
of  the  proper  station  or  stations.” 

“In  republishing  the  Manual,  the  Board  amended  this  paragraph  by 
adding  the  sentence:  Any  Mission  may  commit  to  its  Executive  Com- 

mittee, if  it  desires,  the  discharge  of  any  of  the  functions  and  duties  of 
the  Mission  as  defined  in  the  Manual.” 

“The  Board  desires  to  lay  the  whole  matter  before  the  Missions  and 
to  ask  their  judgment. 

“The  Board  has  no  desire  in  raising  this  question  to  suggest  any  de- 
parture from  the  democratic  principles  of  the  Church  and  its  methods 
of  missionary  organization,  hut  it  does  desire  to  see  the  unity  and  effi- 
ciency of  missionary  administration  improved,  if  there  is  any  method 
by  which  this  can  be  accomplished.” 

The  repltes  of  the  ^Missions  varied,  a.s  might  have  been  ex- 
pected, for  it  is  in  Presbyterian  blood  to  move  cantionsly  in  any 
matter  which  appears  to  involve  control,  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  the  essence  of  otir  polity  is  government  by  representatives 
chosen  by  the  people.  Several  Missions,  however,  promptly 
acted  in  the  direction  indicated,  and  the  idea  gradually  made 
its  way  in  others  until  now  of  our  25  organized  Missions  (Co- 
lombia and  the  Chinese  and  Japanese  in  the  United  States  do 
not  have  mission  organizations  and  Guatemala  has  only  two 
families),  17  have  Executive  Committees  as  follows: 


EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEES. 


I. 

North  China. 

TO. 

West  Japan. 

2. 

Central  China. 

II. 

Philippines. 

.3- 

South  China. 

12. 

Siam. 

4- 

East  Shantung. 

1.3- 

Laos. 

5- 

West  Shantung. 

14. 

Punjab. 

6. 

KiaVig-an. 

1.3. 

North  India. 

/• 

Hainan. 

16. 

West  Africa. 

8. 

Korea. 

17- 

Mexico. 

9. 

East  Japan. 

NO 

EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEES. 

I. 

Hunan. 

5- 

Syria. 

2. 

East  Persia. 

6. 

Chili. 

.3. 

W'est  Persia. 

7- 

Central  Brazil. 

4- 

Western  India. 

8. 

Southern  Brazil 

The  Executive  Committee  has  thus  become  an  established 
feature  of  our  field  organization  in  the  majority  of  our  Mis- 
sions. There  appears  to  be  no  disposition  to  dispense  with  any 
of  them  and  it  is  probable  that  most  of  the  Missions  which  do 
not  have  them  will  ere  long  fall  into  line  with  their  sister  or- 
ganizations. 


156 


The  usefulness  of  these  Executive  Committees  varies  con- 
siderabh".  Some  are  constituted  of  men  who  are  selected  with 
reference  to  their  fitness  for  the  duties  to  be  performed ; others 
are  appointed  at  random ; and  one  ^Mission  places  its  men  on 
the  Committee  in  rotation,  which  is  about  the  worst  method 
imaginable.  Some  Committees  have  practically  no  power  ex- 
cept to  start  circular  letters  on  the  rounds  of  the  stations  and 
to  transmit  requests  to  the  Board.  They  are  not  expected  to 
do  anything  of  importance  and  they  fulfil  the  expectation. 
Others  are  really  grappling  with  the  problems  of  their  respec- 
tive fields. 

There  is  a growing  feeling  that  the  powers  and  duties  of 
these  Executive  Committees  should  be  increased  and  more  ac- 
curately defined,  and  that  the  Chairman  should  be  chosen  from 
the  ablest  and  wisest  missionaries  and  have  their  local  station 
work  so  lightened  that  they  can  give  more  time  to  the  work  of 
the  Committee.  This  feeling  is  farthest  advanced  in  China. 
Three  of  the  Missions  voted  in  1908  in  favor  of  a Field  Secre- 
tary for  China.  The  Kiang-an  Mission,  while  not  definitely 
deciding  against  the  proposal  for  the  appointment  of  an  experi- 
enced missJonary  as  Field  Secretary,  preferred  the  plan  of  an 
Executive  Committee  of  three  elected  by  the  China  Missions 
an  1 ratified  bv  the  Board.  The  Mission  enumerated  the  follow- 
ing advantages  to  be  gained  by  greater  centtralization : “1. 

Greater  efficiency  in  our  existing  work.  2.  Mdser  distribution 
of  our  forces.  3.  Larger  returns  on  our  investment  of  men 
and  money.  4.  The  need  of  binding  our  diflferent  Missions 
more  closely  together.  5.  Greater  harmonv  in  individual  Mis- 
sions and  stations  by  providing  a disinterested  committee  to 
which  can  be  referred  all  matters  in  dispute,  instead  of  decid- 
ing as  is  at  present  done  by  vote  of  those  personally  inter- 
ested." The  East  Shantung  Mission  in  the  same  year  consid- 
ered an  elaborate  plan  of  reorganization,  but  took  no  final  ac- 
tion. The  Central  China  Mi=;sion  adopted  the  following  reso- 
lution ; 

“We  believe  that  these  problems  are  of  the  utmost  importance  and 
ujxm  their  right  solution  the  development  of  greater  efficiency  largely 
depends.  Tn  our  opinion  it  will  be  impossible  to  obtain  a satisfactory 
result  by  the  desultory  efforts  of  the  different  Missions.  We  therefore 
strongly  recommend  that  the  Board  send  out  either  Mr.  Speer  or  Dr. 
Brown  to  spend  sufficient  time  to  make  a thorough  study  of  the  situa- 
tion in  all  the  ^Missions  of  our  Board  in  China  and  help  work  out  a 
plan  of  unification  and  a policy  for  the  conducting  of  the  work.” 

The  way  was  thus  prepare-l  for  some  definite  action  during 
my  conference  with  the  representatives  of  five  of  the  China 
^Missions  at  Shanghai,  in  Xovember,  1909.  The  result  of  our 
discussions  was  the  adoption  of  the  following  statement: 


157 


"At  the  conference  of  delegates  from  the  Canton.  Hainan,  Central 
China,  Kiang-an,  and  Hunan  Missions,  which  met  in  Shanghai,  October 
28th  to  November  2nd,  Dr,  Brown  raised  the  question  of  the  desirability 
of  a Field  Secretary  for  China  and  whether  aii}  development  of  the  plan 
of  the  Executive  Committee  was  practicable.  A committee  of  five,  one 
from  each  of  the  above  Missions,  was  appointed  to  consider  the  subject. 
They  presented  the  following  report,  which  was  adopted  by  a prac- 
tically unanimous  vote. 

“It  is  the  deep  and  growing  conviction  of  many  missionaries  that  the 
evangelization  of  China  can  be  more  successfully  accomplished  if  the 
workers  in  mission  groups  are  brought  into  relations  of  greater  mutual 
helpfulness. 

"The  work  of  Missions  has  grown  to  such  proportions  and  is  assum- 
ing such  important  relations  to  questions  of  Chinese  national  life,  which 
are  coextensive  with  the  Empire,  that  individual  effort,  however  well 
conceived  and  executed,  must  inevitably  lose  a large  part  of  its  effec- 
tiveness, unless  it  is  coordinated  with  all  other  work  and  guided  by  a 
policy  broad  enough  to  provide  for  the  highest  interests  of  all  China. 
For  the  Missions  of  our  Board  to  attain  their  greatest  efficiency,  there 
must  be  fuller  knowledge  of  the  work  of  all  the  Missions  and  a more 
sympathetic  co-operation  of  individual  workers  and  Missions. 

"To  this  end  we  beg  to  make  the  following 

RECOM  .MENIIATIONS. 

“I.  The  ofpoiiitnient  of  a committee  to  represent  all  the  missions  of 
our  Board  in  China. 

“1.  Method  of  affointment. — Each  of  the  Presbyterian  Missions  in 
China  shall  elect  one  man  from  among  its  own  members  to  represent  it 
in  a general  committee,  which  shall  be  known  as  The  China  Council 
(of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of  -\merica. ) It  is 
recommended  that  an  alternate  be  also  elected  by  each  Mission  to  act 
in  case  the  principal  is  unable  to  perform  the  duties  of  his  office. 

“2.  Term  of  office  of  the  members  of  the  Council. — Each  member  of 
the  Council  shall  be  elected  for  two  years  and  shall  be  eligible  to  re- 
election.  He  shall  take  office  at  the  first  stated  meeting  of  the  Council 
following  his  election.  In  order  that  only  half  the  members  be  changed 
each  year,  it  is  suggested  that  at  the  first  election.  Canton,  Central  China, 
Honan,  and  West  Shantung  shall  elect  their  members  for  one  year  only. 
Thereafter  all  elections  shall  be  for  two  years. 

"3.  Suggested  duties  of  the  Council. 

“(i.)  To  pass  upon  the  estimates  of  all  the  Missions  and  upon  all 
special  appeals  for  funds,  including  ‘special  objects,'  making  recommen- 
dations to  the  Board  concerning  the  same. 

“(2.)  To  distribute,  in  accordance  with  the  estimates  already  ap- 
proved by  the  Council  and  the  Board,  all  money  appropriated  by  the 
Board  for  work  in  China  (it  being  understood  that  all  special  object 
funds  shall  be  administered  according  to  the  agreement  made  by  the 
Board  with  the  givers). 

"All  appropriations  for  old  work  (namely  items  in  columns  i,  2, 
and  3 of  the  appropriation  sheets)  shall  be  distributed  directly  to  the 
Missions  in  accordance  with  the  approved  estimates  of  the  Council. 
AH  increase  in  appropriations  (namely  items  in  columns  4 and  5 
of  the  appropriation  sheets)  shall  be  distributed  so  far  as  possible  in 
accordance  with  a plan  decided  on  by  the  Council  at  the  time  of  their 
consideration  of  the  estimates. 

"It  is  believed  that  it  will  be  possible  for  the  Council,  when 
it  passes  on  the  estimates,  to  arrange,  on  the  basis  of  the  appeals  for 
new  work  and  new  property  made  by  the  different  ^Missions,  a schedule 


158 


to  be  followed  in  the  distribution  of  any  increase  in  appropriations.  It 
could  then,  if  thought  desirable,  instruct  its  chairman  to  make  the  said 
distribution,  unless  there  arises,  during  the  time  between  the  sending 
home  of  the  estimates  and  the  arrival  of  the  appropriations,  some  emer- 
gency which  necessitates  his  conferring  with  the  members  of  the  Coun- 
cil. 

“(3.')  To  pass  upon  all  appeals  for  new  missionaries  asked  for  by 
the  different  Missions  and  to  determine  their  relative  urgency  and  to 
assign  the  new  missionaries  to  the  different  Missions. 

“(4.)  To  make  temporary  or  permanent  transfers  of  missionaries 
from  one  Mission  to  another  when,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Council, 
such  transfers  will  be  conducive  to  the  highest  efficiency  of  the  work 
of  our  Missions  in  China  (but  in  no  case  shall  a missionary  be  trans- 
ferred without  his  own  consent  and  that  of  his  Mission). 

“(5-)  To  develop  and  have  oversight  of  general  mission  policy,  to 
coordinate  the  work  of  the  various  departments,  and  to  approve  or 
recommend  such  new  work  as  may  be  necessary  to  meet  the  changing 
conditions  and  to  gain  increased  efficiency. 

“(6.)  To  confer  with  the  representatives  of  other  Missions  regarding 
all  matters  of  common  interest,  such  as  division  of  the  field,  union 
effort  along  educational  and  other  lines,  etc. 

“(7  ) To  deal  with  all  matters  which  may  be  referred  to  it  by  the 
Board,  or  by  one  or  more  of  the  Missions,  and  with  cases  of  appeal 
from  the  decision  of  a Mission.  It  shall  make  definite  recommendations 
to  the  Board  on  all  matters  requiring  its  approval.  In  all  other  cases 
its  decision  shall  be  final  (subject  of  course  to  appeal  to  the  Board). 

“4.  Meetings  of  the  Coiineil. — There  shall  be  at  least  one  stated  an- 
nual meeting  of  the  Council  at  a time  to  be  determined  by  the  Council. 
The  chairman  shall  call  a special  meeting  upon  the  request  of  any  three 
members  of  the  Council. 

“II.  The  election  of  a Field  Secretary. 

“1.  Method  of  election. — The  Council  shall  elect  a Field  Secretary, 
subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Board.  He  shall  be  chosen  from  amongst 
the  missionary  body  and  shall  be  ex-officio  chairman  of  the  Council. 
A two-thirds  vote  of  the  Council  shall  be  necessary  for  election. 

“Should  the  missionary  selected  be  a member  of  the  Council,  the 
Mission  which  he  represents  shall  elect  some  one  to  fill  his  place  for  the 
unexpired  term  of  office. 

“2.  The  term  of  office  of  the  Field  Secretary. — The  term  of  office  of 
the  Field  Secretary  shall  be  for  three  years,  and  he  shall  be  eligible  to 
re-election. 

“3.  Duties  of  the  Field  Secretary. — The  Field  Secretary  shall  be  re- 
leased from  all  duties  in  his  own  ^fission  in  order  that  he  may  travel 
as  widely  as  possible  throughout  all  of  our  Missions  in  China,  giving 
such  spiritual  uplift  and  such  help  of  an  advisory  nature  as  he  may  be 
able,  and  gathering  information  that  shall  be  of  use  to  the  Council  and 
to  the  Missions.  He  shall  also  perform  such  other  duties  as  shall  be 
appointed  by  the  Council. 

“4.  Expenses  of  the  Council  and  of  the  Field  Secretary,  place  of 
residence  of  the  Secretary,  office  equipment,  etc. — All  questions  of  this 
kind  shall  be  decided  by  the  Council  in  consultation  with  the  Board. 

EDWARD  C.  MACHLE,  Acting  Chairman, 
for  DR.  H.  V.  NOYES. 

E.  C.  LOBEXSTINE,  Secretary.” 


159 


It  is  interesting  to  note  that  this  report  was  unanimously 
adopted  by  the  representatives  of  five  of  our  eight  Missions  in 
China.  It  then  went  to  each  of  the  Missions  separately  for 
detailed  consideration  and  official  action.  The  Central  China 
Mission,  which  convened  on  the  adjournment  of  the  Confer- 
ence. promptly  adopted  it  without  a dissenting  vote.  Dr.  Sid- 
ney Lasell.  one  of  the  delegates  from  the  Hainan  Mission,  was 
appointed  by  the  Conference  to  accompany  me  to  my  confer- 
ence with  the  East  and  West  Shantung  Missions  at  Wei-hsien 
and  explain  the  matter  there.  He  did  so.  and  after  full  con- 
sideration, the  Shantung  Conference  also  adopted  the  recom- 
mendation of  the  Shanghai  Conference,  suggesting  some 
amendments,  but  none  which  affect  the  substance  of  the  action. 
The  East  and  West  Shantung  Missions,  which  assembled  sep- 
arately a day  or  two  later,  gave  official  ratification.  Other  Mis- 
sions have  since  acted.  The  only  unfavorable  vote  which  has 
reached  Xew  York,  as  this  report  goes  to  press,  is  that  of  South 
China,  where  a majority  of  one  “preferred  dealing  directly  with 
the  Board.”  It  was  so  evident,  however,  that  the  plan  would 
carry,  that  the  Mission  immediately  elected  its  representative 
on  the  Council.  The  essential  features  of  the  plan  have  there- 
fore already  been  unanimously  adopted  by  conferences  repre- 
senting all  of  our  eight  Missions  in  China,  and  have  been  offici- 
ally ratified  by  so  many  of  the  Missions  that  there  is  no  pos- 
sible doubt  that  it  is  in  accord  with  the  wishes  of  an  overwhelm- 
ing majoritv  of  our  296  missionaries  in  China.  It  does  not  fol- 
low that  every  phase  of  the  Shanghai  plan  meets  with  unani- 
mous approval.  There  is  ample  room  for  modification  in  de- 
tails. The  wide  geographical  distribution  of  the  Commission, 
with  the  attendant  expenditure  of  time  and  money  in  holding 
meetings,  is  an  objection;  but  a plan  which  gave  each  Mission 
representation  was  the  only  one  which  commanded  general  as- 
sent. The  important  thing  now  is  to  get  the  Committee  con- 
stituted. and  then  we  can  learn  by  experience  from  year  to 
year  and  make  such  changes  as  experience  may  dictate.  I hope 
that  the  Board  will  give  its  prompt  approval.* 

I am  strongly  of  the  opinion  that  it  would  be  greatly  to  the 
advantage  of  our  work  not  only  to  have  such  a Committee  and 
Chairman  for  China  but  to  have  a similar  arrangement  for 
India.  Persia,  Japan  and  other  Missions.  Local  adaptations  will 
doubtless  be  necessary,  but  they  can  be  made.  Where  a Mis- 
sion covers  a whole  country,  as  in  Korea  and  the  Philippines, 
all  that  is  necessary  is  to  adapt  the  powers,  duties  and  chair- 
manship of  the  already  existing  Executive  Committee.  I have 
no  idea  that  the  proposed  change  will  lighten  the  work  of  the 
Secretaries  or  the  responsibilities  of  the  Board.  Our  work  and 

• Later  the  Board  approved  the  plan  May  16.  1910. 

K 


i6o 


responsibilities  will  still  be  so  heavy  as  to  challenge  our  best 
energies  and  make  the  most  exacting  demands  upon  our  time. 
Foreign  Missions  has  come  to  be  the  vastest  and  most  compli- 
cated enterprise  of  the  Church,  involving  problems  and  rela- 
tionships which  touch  innumerable  questions  in  religion,  fi- 
nance. politics,  commerce,  education  and  philanthropy.  The 
new  plan  will  simply  enable  us  to  deal  more  efifectively  with 
the  larger  phases  of  our  world-wide  enterprise.  We  now  have 
to  spend  so  much  time  in  deciding  questions  of  detail,  which 
ought  not  to  come  to  us  at  all.  that  some  of  the  important 
things  that  must  from  their  nature  be  handled  in  New  York 
are  in  danger  of  being  .subordinated.  If  the  present  system  is 
to  be  continued,  a larger  Secretarial  force  is  needed ; but  I 
should  like  to  see  a fair  trial  of  a better  organization  on  the 
field. 

Under  this  general  subject  of  field  organization,  I may  add 
a few  words  about  the  voting  power  of  women  missionaries  in 
station  and  mission  meetings.  The  Board’s  Manual  rule  gives 
each  Mission  discretion  in  determining  whether  the  franchise 
shall  be  given  to  women  missionaries.  The  Missions  have 
exercised  this  discretion  in  various  ways.  Some  give  women 
the  right  to  vote  on  all  questions ; with  the  result  that  the  bal- 
ance of  power  is  sometimes  in  the  hands  of  wives  who  are  so 
burdened  with  family  cares  that  thev  have  never  learned  the 
language  and  do  little  or  no  missionarv  work.  Other  Missions 
do  not  permit  women  to  vote  at  all.  except,  perhaps,  on  certain 
.specified  subjects : the  result  being  that  some  of  our  single 
women,  who  have  been  from  ten  to  thirty  years  on  the  field 
and  who  are  among  the  most  experienced  and  valuable  mis- 
sionaries. have  no  voice  whatever  in  the  determination  of  pol- 
icy and  methods  and  in  the  expenditure  of  money.  This  is  an 
unfortunate  situation.  It  occasionally  works  injustice,  and  I 
could  cite  places  where  it  has  caused  friction. 

It  seems  to  me  that  the  proper  course  is  to  eliminate  the  sex 
line  altogether.  If  a woman,  whether  a wife  or  a single  woman, 
has  passed  her  language  examinations  and  has  been  assigned 
responsible  work  by  the  Mission,  she  ought  to  have  the  same 
voice  and  vote  as  a man ; otherwise  she  ought  not  to  have 
either  voice  or  vote.  I do  not  wish  to  be  understood  as  dis- 
criminating against  those  wives  and  mothers  who  have  such 
family  cares  that  it  is  impracticable  for  them  to  learn  the  lan- 
guage or  to  accept  work  outside  of  their  homes.  I am  aware 
that  some  devoted  missionaries  belong  to  this  class  and  that 
their  influence  is  gracious  and  helpful.  I believe,  however,  that 
from  the  view-point  of  official  mission  membership  and  author- 
ity, the  line  should  be  drawn  at  the  place  indicated.  As  the 


i6i 


necessary  authority  is  alrea^ly  in  the  hands  of  the  Missions,  I 
simply  express  my  opinion  and  leave  it  for  such  action,  if  any, 
as  each  Mission  may  deem  wise. 

WHERE  MONEY  IS  MOST  NEEDED;  INCREASING 
COST  OF  MAINTENANCE. 

I asked  missionaries  to  indicate  the  classes  of  expenditure  in 
which  relief  was  most  urgently  called  for,  specifying  salaries, 
children’s  allowances,  home  allowances,  property,  reinforce- 
ments and  current  work.  It  was  like  asking  the  father  of  six 
children  which  one  he  loves  most.  ^Money  is  required  for  so 
many  things  that  it  is  not  easy  to  say  which  is  the  most  im- 
perative. 

Few  missionaries  are  asking  for  higher  salaries.  While  a 
variant  opinion  was  occasionally  expressed,  the  missionaries 
generally  appeared  to  feel  that  their  support  was  as  fair  as 
could  reasonably  be  expected  for  Christian  workers  when  the 
needs  of  the  work  are  so  great.  The  average  missionary  is 
obliged  to  exercise  rigid  economy,  and  in  some  cases  the  pres- 
sure is  heavy.  But  missionaries  are  more  anxious  about  their 
work  than  they  are  about  themselves,  and’are  unwilling  to  take 
a larger  proportion  of  the  common  fun.l  for  their  personal  sup- 
port. Those  who  find  the  greatest  difficulty  in  making  ends 
meet  are  those  who  have  children.  The  increase  in  children's 
allowances,  made  last  year,  was  a great  relief  to  many  care- 
burdened  parents.  Further  assistance  should  be  in  the  direc- 
tion of  schools  for  the  children  of  missionaries,  a subject  which 
will  be  discussed  in  the  next  section. 

•\n  exception  to  this  might  be  considered  in  a rea  ljustment 
of  the  rule  regarding  traveling  expenses.  Under  the  present 
rule,  a missionary  is  entitled  at  any  one  time  either  to  field  sal- 
ary or  home  allowance  or  traveling  expenses,  but  they  must  not 
overlap.  This  means  that  no  salary  or  home  allowance  is  paid 
during  the  period  of  travel,  the  theory  being  that  the  Board 
pays  a support  rather  than  a salary  and  that  traveling  expenses 
cover  support.  There  is  force  in  this.  Any  one.  however,  who 
has  had  occasion  to  make  the  long  voyages  between  America 
and  Asia  is  painfully  aware  that  it  is  difficult  to  keep  expenses 
within  an  official  allowance.  Special  clothing  often  has  to  be 
bought.  This  is  often  a serious  expenditure,  as  after  a family 
has  been  six  or  eight  years  away  from  home,  every  member  of 
it  has  to  be  reclotheJ.  Some  other  expenditures  do  not  cease 
during  a journey.  I am  not  sure  that  it  is  fair  to  leave  a mis- 
sionary and  his  family  without  any  cash  resources  for  two  or 
three  months,  with  no  means  of  meeting  the  extra  expenses 
which  the  furlough  involves,  but  which  the  travel  account  sel- 
dom covers. 


The  fieU  salaries  of  missionaries  vary  from  $800  to  $1,550 
for  a married  man.  so  that  it  might  not  be  equitable  to  continue 
the  field  salary  ; but  the  home  allowances,  being  a horizontal 
rate  applicable  to  all  missionaries,  might  properly  begin  at  the 
time  of  departure  from  the  field.  Certain  expenditures,  about 
which  there  is  now  apt  to  be  difference  of  opinion,  might  then 
be  regarded  as  personal.  The  fact  that  the  period  of  travel 
varies  from  a week  for  the  Mexico  missionary  to  two  or  three 
months  each  way  for  the  Laos  missionary,  raises  a question  as 
to  equitable  dealing  which  may  require  adjustment.  This  can 
be  worked  out  in  the  Executive  Council  without  taking  up  space 
in  this  report. 

Consideration  might  also  be  given  to  the  inequitable  oper- 
ation of  the  present  rule  limiting  the  number  of  single  trips  of 
children  to  four.  This  was  fair  enough  when  the  term  of  ser- 
vice was  longer;  but  now  that  the  term  has  been  shortened  to 
three  years  for  Africa  and  to  five  and  six  for  several  other 
tropical  fields,  it  is  often  difficult  and  sometimes  impossible  for 
the  missionary  to  adjust  his  children’s  trips  to  his  own  fur- 
loughs. The  rules  give  some  missionaries  from  six  to  ten 
single  trips  in  eighteen  years,  hut  permit  only  four  for  their 
children.  What  shall  such  missionaries  do?  Relatives  and 
schools  for  missionaries'  children  solve  the  problem  for  some 
families,  but  not  for  all.  The  Board  must  carefulh  consider 
the  question  of  increased  expenditures  in  justice  to  other  de- 
mands. but  some  relief  appears  to  be  called  for. 

Everv  mission  in  the  world  wants  reinforcements,  and  in 
some  places  this  need  is  so  peremptory  that  it  must  be  supplied 
at  any  cost.  Speaking  broadly,  however,  the  opinion  of  the 
missionaries  is  practically  unanimous  that  the  most  pressing 
needs  are,  first,  for  enlarged  regular  appropriations  for  current 
work,  and,  second,  for  better  property  equipment.  Xew  mis- 
sionaries come  next,  on  the  soun.l  principle  that  it  is  more  im- 
portant to  give  reasonable  appliances  to  those  who  are  already 
on  the  field  than  to  increa.se  the  number  of  men  who  are  so 
badly  equipped  that  they  cannot  work  to  advantage.  “We  are 
putting  a lot  of  money  into  missionaries,  but  little  into  the 
work,"  said  one  veteran  with  emphasis. 

In  appointing  new  missionaries,  it  is  wise  to  adhere  to  the 
present  rule  that,  except  where  imperative  vacancies  are  in- 
volved, new  missionaries  should  represent  new  money.  The 
Missions  have  impressed  upon  me  their  conviction  that,  badly 
as  they  need  reinforcements,  they  do  not  want  them  if  they 
must  cut  down  existing  work  to  provide  for  their  language 
teachers  and  other  expenditures.  Salary  does  not  cover  the 
cost  of  maintaining  a missionary  any  more  than  the  salary  of  a 


pastor  covers  the  cost  of  running  a church.  Our  present  force 
is  as  large  as  can  work  to  advantage  under  the  present  scale  of 
appropriations.  To  send  more  men  without  increasing  those 
appropriations  would  perpetuate  and  intensify  the  trying  situ- 
ation which  already  exists.  Residences  for  the  new  families 
should  be  considered  a part  of  their  equipment ; otherwise  great 
embarrassment  and  perhaps  hardship  may  result. 

The  traveller  is  strongly  impressed  by  the  property  needs, 
probably  because  they  are  more  visible  to  the  eye.  The  entire 
income  of  tire  Board  for  a vlecade  has  been  so  inadequate  to  the 
support  of  our  growing  work  that  little  or  nothing  could  be  set 
aside  for  property,  except  as  particular  .sums  were  designated 
by  the  donors.  A good  deal  of  money  has  been  given  in  this 
way,  but  as  its  distribution  has  been  primarily  determined  by 
personal  relationships,  it  has  not  always  been  available  for  the 
most  vital  necessities.  The  result  is  that  many  of  our  plants 
are  not  in  satisfactory  condition.  Some  missionaries  do  not 
have  suitable  houses.  Compounds  are  cramped  on  insufificient 
land,  and  schools  and  hospitals  are  overcrowded  or  dilapidated, 
sometimes  both.  A fund  for  putting  our  plants  in  reasonable 
shape  is  absolutely  necessary. 

In  the  use  of  such  a fund,  I suggest  that  preference  be  given 
to  residences  for  missionaries  at  stations  where  suitable  houses 
cannot  be  rented.  This  is  the  most  imperative  need,  one  that 
is  essential  not  only  to  the  reasonable  comfort  but  to  the  health 
and  efficiency  of  the  missionary.  Schools  and  hospitals  should 
come  next.  Land  is  required  not  only  for  new  buildings,  but 
for  the  enlargement  of  compounds.  Alany  of  our  compounds 
are  too  small.  Insufficient  land  was  purchased  when  many  sta- 
tions were  opened  and  now  that  more  is  required,  the  cost  is 
comparatively  high.  There  is  no  real  estate  market  at  the  aver- 
age mission  station.  Land  is  a hereditary  possession  and  own- 
ers do  not  like  to  part  with  it.  If  they  know  that  a foreigner 
wants  it,  they  are  not  only  apt  to  hold  on  the  harder  but  to  ask 
exorbitant  prices.  In  such  circumstances,  missionaries  have  to 
watch  chances  and  take  swift  advantage  of  them  when  they 
occur.  More  than  once  we  have  lost  opportunities  to  secure  de- 
sirable and  urgently  needed  tracts  while  the  Board  was  trying 
to  get  the  money.  We  ought  to  have  a land  fund  of  at  least 
$50,000  for  use  in  such  emergencies.  Alissions  could  continue 
to  present  their  wants  in  their  regular  estimates,  but  when  they 
cable  New  York  that  an  opportunity  has  opened,  the  Board 
would  be  able  to  make  instant  reply.  When  new  stations 
are  opened,  great  care  should  be  exercised  to  get  sufficient  land. 
It  is  always  easy  to  sell  some  if  we  get  too  much ; but  very  diffi- 
cult to  buy  if  we  get  too  little. 


X 


164 

Appropriations  of  foreign  money  for  the  erection  of 
cliurches  and  chapels  should  be  comparatively  few.  A central 
station  church  should  sometimes  be  considerably  larger  than 
the  native  Christians  can  provide,  because  it  is  needed  for  union 
meetings  and  general  station  purposes.  It  is  occasionally  de- 
sirable too  that  the  station  church  should  be  a model  for  other 
congregations  in  adjacent  towns  and  villages.  Foreign  aid  may 
properly  be  given  in  such  circumstances.  The  rules  of  the 
Korea  and  Philippine  Missions  forbid  the  use  of  foreign  funds 
for  chapels  at  out-stations  and  require  that  the  native  Chris- 
tians shall  contribute  at  least  a part  of  the  cost  of  churches  at 
stations.  The  China  and  Japan  Missions  frequently  ask  the 
Board  for  money  for  chapels  in  places  where  new  work  is  to 
be  opened.  The  Board  seldom  grants  such  requests,  except 
where  the  buildings  are  to  be  used  for  street-chapel  evangelistic 
work  in  cities.  Exceptions  of  this  kind  are  sometimes  wisely 
made.  As  a rule,  however,  native  Christians  should  be  e.x- 
pected  to  provide  their  own  ])laces  of  worshij).  modest  edi- 
fice which  they  have  paid  for  will  mean  more  to  the  cause  of 
Christ  than  a pretentious  one  which  belongs  to  foreigners.  The 
Chinese  Recorder  for  Xovember,  1909,  says; 

“In  the  establishment  of  Qiristian  churches  in  country  towns  through- 
out Cliina,  how  far  is  it  wise  and  right  for  money  subscribed  for  mis- 
sionary work  to  be  devoted  to  the  erection  of  buildings  of  a foreign 
nature  for  the  purposes  of  Chinese  Christian  worship?  How  much 
trouble  accrues  to  the  Christian  community  through  the  enmity  raised 
among  officials  and  people  by  the  supposed  aggressive  development 
which  a foreign  building,  erected  under  foreign  supervision,  and  with 
foreign  money,  e.xpresses,  is  only  too  well  known.  This  difficulty,  how- 
ever, is  one  which  the  progressive  habit  of  the  Chinese  in  regard  to 
buildings  will  in  time  obviate.  The  greater  difficulty  remains. 

".\s  a matter  of  policy,  it  may  seriously  be  questioned  whether  already 
too  much  along  the  line  of  direct  financial  support  is  not  being  done  in 
behalf  of  the  Chinese  Church.  The  great  need  of  the  Church  in  China 
is  for  an  equipment  of  men — not  bricks  and  mortar.  For  institutional 
work,  useful  buildings  are  necessary,  and  where  these  are  gathered  in 
missionary  compounds  it  is  natural  that  missionary  Societies  should 
provide  them;  but  for  these  Societies  to  proceed  with  a policy  of  susten- 
tation  in  the  matter  of  buildings  is  unnecessary  as  well  as  impolitic. 
For,  given  a sufficiently  large  number  of  members  in  any  centre,  the 
Chinese  Christians,  if  the  root  of  the  matter  is  in  them,  will  themselves 
set  about  the  necessary  preparations  for  a place  of  meeting.  Our  busi- 
ness is  to  encourage  growth,  and  the  time  has  surely  come  when,  as  a 
general  rule,  the  communities  of  Chinese  Christians  may  be  expected 
to  look  after  their  own  needs  in  the  matter  of  places  of  worship.  Cer- 
tainly if  they  are  not  ready  to  provide  at  least  a proportionate  share  of 
the  cost  of  the  new  church  building,  it  is  no  part  of  the  duty  of  the 
missionary  to  use  home  funds  for  the  purpose  of  making  up  for  their 
shortcomings.’’ 

While  on  the  subject  of  property,  I may  refer  to  a related 
phase  of  the  subject.  The  charge  that  missionaries  live  in  ex- 


i6s 

pensive  houses  is  an  old  one.  It  cannot  be  maintained  against 
missionaries  as  a class.  A few  have  private  incomes  or  wealthy 
relatives,  and  some  of  these  missionaries  have  homes  which  at- 
tract the  criticism  of  casual  travellers.  The  scale  in  such  cir- 
cumstances is  not  a representative  one,  and  no  sensible  person 
will  blame  a Christian  worker  for  surrounding  himself  with 
reasonable  comforts  when  he  is  able  to  do  so  out  of  personal 
resources. 

1 .saw  a few  residences  which  approached  the  limit  of  pro- 
priety. It  is  unfortunate  when  the  missionary’s  house  is  the 
liandsomest  and  most  conspicuous  building  on  the  compound, 
or  when  it  is  so  constructecl  as  to  attract  unnecessary  attention 
and  contrast.  There  are  some  residences  to  which  exception 
might  fairly  be  taken  from  this  viewpoint.  Sometimes,  it  is 
true,  they  are  occupied  by  more  than  one  family,  and  in  other 
cases  wide  verandas  make  them  look  larger  and  more  impos- 
ing than  they  really  are.  But  not  all  residences  can  be  excused 
in  this  way.  A missionary  writes  in  The  East  and  West  for 
January,  1910,  defen;ling  himself  and  his  associates  against  the 
charge  of  luxurious  residences,  but  adding: 

“There  is,  however,  one  point  which  seems  to  me  of  vastly  greater 
importance  than  the  size,  and  that  is  the  position  of  the  houses.  It  has 
always  seemed  to  me  a fundamental  mistake  that  missionaries’  houses 
should  be  planted  down  in  civil  lines  or  cantonments,  surrounded  by  offi- 
cial Europeans,  and  far  away  from  the  Indians  amongst  whom  our 
work  lies,  and  who  are  debarred  from  visiting  the  missionary  by  the 
position  of  his  house. 

“Let  us  at  all  costs  get  into  the  native  cities,  live  in  a native  or  Eu- 
ropean house,  big  or  little,  but  at  least  amongst  the  people  with  whom 
we  wish  to  identify  ourselves.  Objections  will  doubtless  be  raised  on 
the  score  of  health ; but  many  of  us  who  have  tried  it  know  it  to  be 
possible.  Even  should  it  cost  some  lives,  they  will  not  be  sacrificed  for 
naught  if  they  help  to  prove  to  the  people  of  the  country — Christian 
and  non-Christian — that  in  every  possible  way  we  desire  to  put  ourselves 
on  an  equality  with  them  and  share  their  life.” 

The  writer  is  a missionary  in  India,  but  his  point  is  applicable 
to  other  lands.  I do  not  see  how  any  one  who  has  visited  a 
Chinese  or  Korean  city  can  hold  that  a missionary  should  al- 
ways live  in  it.  Even  if  he  were  disposed  to  do  so,  it  would 
often  be  impossible  to  secure  the  necessary  land,  at  least  for  a 
practicable  price.  But  the  spirit  of  the  writer  is  sound. 

The  Boards  are  as  much  responsible  as  missionaries  for  the 
scale  on  which  houses  are  constructed.  A missionary  deserves 
a good  home.  It  means  more  to  him,  far  from  his  native  land 
and  in  an  uncongenial  local  environment,  than  a home  means  to 
a minister  at  home.  Missionaries’  residences  ought  therefore 
to  be  comfortable.  But  the  Boards  may  wisely  give  closer  at- 
tention to  the  plans  of  missionary  residences.  As  a rule,  the 


I 


i66 


missionary  has  to  bull. I his  own  house.  He  knows  nothing  of 
architecture  and  has  had  little  or  no  experience  in  building. 
Theological  seminaries  and  medical  colleges  do  not  include 
such  subjects  in  their  courses.  He  seldom  has  the  benefit  of 
local  architects,  contractors  and  skilled  workmen,  as  we  have 
at  home.  He  must  make  his  own  plans,  purchase  his  own  ma- 
terials, and  engage  and  superintend  the  native  workmen,  who 
perhaps  have  never  built  a foreign  house  and  have  the  vaguest 
ideas  of  what  the  white  man  wants.  The  IMission  has  a Prop- 
erty Committee,  but  its  members  are  usually  men  like  himself, 
or  are  widely  scattered  among  several  stations.  The  mis- 
sionary therefore  has  to  grope  and  experiment  and  do  the  best 
he  can  ; and  sometimes  it  is  well-nigh  impossible  at  the  begin- 
ning to  tell  where  he  is  going  to  come  out  financially,  because 
he  is  dealing  with  so  many  elements  which  are  beyond  the  range 
of  his  experience. 

The  plan  of  sending  an  architect  and  builder  from  America 
has  been  tried  with  not  unmixed  success.  His  buildings  have 
usually  been  better  constructed ; but  they  have  cost  considerably 
more  money,  and  his  ignorance  of  the  country  an^l  the  language 
of  his  workman  have  rendered  it  necessary  for  a missionary 
to  be  with  him  almost  constantly  to  interpret  and  to  settle  dis- 
putes. Unless  he  is  an  unusually  patient  and  tactful  man,  he 
does  not  get  along  well  with  native  workmen,  and  the  mission- 
ary has  to  bear  the  blame.  At  best,  an  architect  can  be  sent  from 
America  only  when  an  unusually  large  amount  of  building  is 
to  be  done,  so  that  the  average  missionary  receives  no 
benefit.  The  Korea  ^fission  had  many  buildings  to 
erect  last  year,  and  the  Board  suggested  the  advisability  of  em- 
ploying a competent  architect  in  China  or  Japan,  or  if  neces- 
sary in  the  United  States.  The  Mission  made  the  following 
reply ; 

"We  do  not  believe  that  such  action  would  be  economical 
or  desirable.  In  the  first  place,  it  would  require  about  500  yen 
out  of  every  house  appropriation  to  pay  the  architect.  Possibly 
an  architect  might  save  a little  on  buying  from  America,  buc 
lack  of  knowledge  of  local  conditions  would  cause  extra  ex- 
pense on  the  field  to  ofifset  the  other  saving,  so  that  the  net  sav- 
ing would  do  little  towards  the  architect's  salary.  Then,  too, 
with  buildings  going  up  all  over  Korea,  an  architect  in  charge 
of  them  all  could  do  little  more  than  travel  back  and  forth  be- 
tween them,  and  there  would  be  practically  no  saving  of  mis- 
sionary time  and  strength,  for  in  each  place,  as  in  the  past,  some 
one  must  give  the  greater  part  of  his  time  to  the  continual 
supervision  absolutely  essential  where  Oriental  workmen  are 
used.  We  feel,  however,  that  some  change  should  be  made  in 


167 


our  past  procedure,  and  we  recommend  that  a sub-committee  of 
three  members  of  the  Propert}'  Committee  be  appointed  to  ad- 
vise with  the  stations  on  all  matters  of  construction,  to  special- 
ize on  buying  of  all  import  materials  in  order  that  it  may  act 
as  a purchasing  agent  for  the  stations,  and  in  case  of  special 
need,  to  visit  the  stations  and  give  personal  assistance  where 
buildings  are  being  erected  ; it  being  understood,  of  course,  that 
the  expenses  of  the  committee  on  such  personal  trips  are  to  be 
paid  out  of  the  appropriations  for  the  buildings  concerned.” 

The  Board,  however,  might  have  model  plans  and  specifica- 
tions draw’ll  up  by  competent  architects  and  approved  by  a 
building  committee  on  the  field,  so  that  they  may  represent  both 
the  reasonable  needs  of  the  missionaries  in  a given  country  and 
at  the  .same  time  sound  principles  of  construction.  India  and 
North  China  require  different  types  of  houses,  but  the  differ- 
ence does  not  aflfect  the  question  under  consideration,  which 
simply  is  that  the  missionary  needs  some  assistance,  whether  he 
is  to  build  for  a cold  climate  or  a hot  one. 

reasonable  limit  of  cost  should  be  fixed  and  the  Board 
should  not  permit  it  to  be  exceeded  except  for  strong  reasons. 
The  making  of  plans  and  the  determination  of  the  size  of  the 
residence  should  not  be  left  solely  to  the  individual  who  is  to 
occupy  it.  The  building  is  not  to  be  his  personal  property,  but 
that  of  the  Alission  and  the  Board.  It  forms  a permanent  part 
of  the  equipment  of  the  station,  and  it  is  likely  to  be  used  at  any 
time  by  other  missionaries.  The  personal  judgment  of  the  first 
occupant  should  be  checked  by  the  judgment  of  a committee 
composed  of  three  or  five  missionaries  who  have  had  most  ex- 
perience in  building  matters,  and  plans  should  be  approved  not 
only  by  this  committee  but  on  the  approximate  basis  of  the 
model  plans  sent  out  by  the  Board.  A building  should  never  be 
begun  until  plans,  specifications  and  careful  estimates  of  cost 
have  been  worked  out  and  approved  by  the  proper  authority. 
A missionary  who  starts  a residence  or  school  without  having 
taken  these  precautions,  and  on  the  naive  supposition  that  he 
can  get  through  on  the  lump  sum  which  was  asked  on  general 
principles,  is  riding  for  a fall.  We  have  had  some  costly  ex- 
periences of  this  kind,  and  they  should  not  be  repeated. 

The  changed  policy  which  I suggest  would,  I believe,  be 
gratefully  welcomed  by  missionaries.  It  would  give  them  relief 
where  they  feel  that  they  need  it,  and  it  would  prevent  any  un- 
authorized individual  from  carrying  out  plans  which  his  asso- 
ciates disapprove — a not  infrequent  cause  of  trouble  on  the 
field. 

Returning  to  the  question  as  to  w’here  money  is  most  need- 
ed, the  conferences  w'ere  emphatic  in  their  conclusion  that  the 


pre-eminent  need  is  for  larger  grants  for  current  work.  The 
Board’s  income  has  been  increased  during  recent  years ; but 
about  all  of  the  increase  has  been  absorbed  by  reinforcements, 
advances  in  salaries  and  children's  allowances,  and  objects  out- 
side of  the  budget  for  which  gifts  have  been  designated.  The 
result  is  that  current  evangelistic,  educational  and  medical  work 
has  had  little  if  any  benefit,  the  slight  advance  that  has  been 
made  not  being  sufficient  to  cover  the  enlargement  of  the  work 
and  the  greater  cost  of  maintenance  in  this  era  of  rising  prices. 
Native  pastors,  evangelists  and  teachers  cannot  live  today  on 
the  salaries  of  a decade  ago,  and  the  higher  class  of  men  can 
not  live  on  the  salaries  which  are  paid  to  men  of  lower  grade. 
An  educated  man  has  more  wants  than  an  uneducated  one.  A 
missionary  writes : 

most  perplexing  ])roblem  to  us  is  the  cost  of  living  for 
our  native  workers.  Not  only  has  the  actual  cost  increased 
about  fifty  per  cent,  in  the  last  four  or  five  years,  but  the  Chin- 
ese schools  of  all  grades  and  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  are  paying  from 
five  to  ten  times  what  we  pay  for  the  services  of  teachers.  In 
such  circumstances,  it  is  manifestly  impossible,  except  in  rare 
cases  of  self-sacrifice,  for  us  either  to  secure  or  hold  high  grade 
men  and  women,  and  the  question  of  students  for  the  ministry 
is  going  to  be  a much  more  serious  one  here  than  it  is  at  home, 
where,  at  the  worst,  the  differences  between  salaries  in  the 
Church  and  out  of  it  are  never  startling.  It  seems  as  if  we 
absolutelv  must  at  least  double  the  wages  paid  to  the  various 
grades  of  native  workers.” 

Another  missionary  in  the  same  country,  China,  writes  on  the 
other  side : 

“Tile  most  embarrassing  feature  is  the  constant  tendency  to  increase 
native  salaries.  So  long  as  this  is  normal  and  comes  from  actual  compe- 
tition from  purely  Chinese  sources,  the  danger  is  not  serious.  But  much 
of  the  demand  for  higher  wages  arises  from  unwise  ambition  on  the 
part  of  enthusiastic  missionary  educators  to  place  the  educated  Chinese 
upon  an  approximate  level  with  foreigners  of  like  attainments.  This 
is  an  abnormal  condition  and  one  calculated  to  work  much  evil  in  the 
Church.  It  not  only  causes  an  artificial  increase  in  mission  expenditure, 
but  tends  to  discourage  the  Chinese  churches  in  their  effort  at  self- 
support,  by  engendering  discontent  among  their  pastors,  who  see  their 
college  colleagues  receiving  princely  (to  them)  incomes  while  they 
themselves  are  getting  a small  wage  for  more  arduous  labors.  At  the 
same  time,  these  pastors  realize  that  the  churches  are  doing  their  best 
to  support  the  ministry,  and  therefore  they  cannot  find  fault  with  their 
parishioners.  The  temptation  is  therefore  gradually  to  withdraw  from 
the  pastorate  to  occupy  positions  in  educational  institutions,  which,  be- 
ing intimately  connected  with  the  Church,  afford  an  honorable  calling, 
more  comfortable  conditions,  and  a higher  salary.  I am  happy  to  say 
that  thus  far  our  pastors  have  stuck  nobly  to  ibeir  posts : but  we  know 
that  they  feel  keenly  the  injustice  of  this  inequality  of  incomes  created 
by  artificially  imposed  competition.  It  will  be  said  in  reply  that  the 


169 


competition  in  educational  salaries  arises  out  of  the  high  salaries  paid 
by  the  Government  Colleges.  So  it  does,  but  to  my  amazement  I found 
out  only  this  week  that  the  excessively  high  scale  of  salaries  now  in 

vogue  in  the  Government  University  at , was  at  the  suggestion 

and  with  the  approval  of  the  English  missionaries  who  have  been  closely 
connected  with  that  institution.  Xor  is  this  an  isolated  case  where  like 
unwise  advice  has  come  from  foreigners.  The  normal  status  of  educa- 
tion in  China  has  heretofore  been  that  of  other  countries,  to  wit,  that 
teachers  have  been  content  with  small  salaries  because  of  the  honorable 
distinction  which  accrues  to  them  as  instructors.  To  suddenly  raise  a 
college  professor’s  income  to  $1,000  gold,  as  actually  has  been  done  at 

, is  to  turn  the  norm  of  education  upside  down.  Granted  that 

the  salaries  in  the  Government  Schools  are  excessively  high,  my  con- 
tention is  that  the  mission  Boards  and  Societies  are  not  bound  to  com- 
pete with  them,  but  must  be  content  to  maintain  lower  salaries  with 
inferior  teachers  (if  it  comes  to  that),  or  else  incur  great  damage  to 
the  evangelistic  work.” 

A missionary  in  another  field  said  in  one  of  our  conferences 
that  it  would  be  a serious  mistake  to  imagine  that  money  could 
solve  the  problem  of  securing  highly  trained  men  for  the  min- 
istry. From  the  time  of  Paul  to  the  present,  the  ablest  spir- 
itual leaders  have  consecrated  themselves  to  the  service  of 
Christ  without  regard  to  financial  rewards,  and  they  will  con- 
tinue to  clo  so.  He  therefore  urged  that  it  was  spiritual  rather 
than  material  strengthening  that  was  needed. 

The  late  Rev.  F.  F.  Ellinwood,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  who  gave  this 
question  much  study  during  the  closing  years  of  his  secretary- 
ship, embodied  his  opinion  in  the  following  minute,  which  the 
Boarvl  adopted  July  2,  1900: 

"As  having  reference  to  the  question  of  self-support  of  the 
Xative  Churches  on  the  mission  field,  and  in  view  of  the  fact 
that  some  of  its  Missions  are  proposing  to  increase  the  salaries 
of  native  preachers  and  helpers  on  account  of  the  increased 
cost  of  living  the  Board  is  constrained  to  look  with  no  little 
apprehension  upon  the  prospect  of  continuing  and  increasing 
demands  of  foreign  aid  in  proportion  to  the  contributions  made 
by  the  Churches  themselves.  Increased  intercourse  of  eastern 
nations  with  those  of  the  West  has  led  and  will  still  further 
lead  to  a gravlual  assimilation  to  western  ways  and  western 
prices,  and  unless  the  self-reliant  spirit  of  the  Churches  can 
be  stimulated  to  a proportionate  advance,  there  is  a sure  pros- 
pect that  the  drafts  upon  mission  funds  will  be  larger  and 
larger  in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  work  accomplished.  In 
view  of  these  conditions,  it  was  resolved  that  the  Missions  in 
which  such  increase  is  proposed  be  earnestly  requested  to 
arouse  the  Churches  to  the  purpose  and  the  endeavor  to  meet 
this  increased  expenditure  instead  of  laying  still  larger  bur- 
dens upon  the  resources  of  foreign  funds.  The  Board  deems 
this  necessary  not  merely  to  the  interest  of  its  expanding  work 


f 


170 

but  to  the  self-reliant  character,  the  future  stability  and  self- 
propagating  power  of  the  Churches  themselves.” 

I have  discussed  the  subject  so  fully  elsewhere*  that  I need 
not  devote  much  space  to  it  here.  I may  only  add  that  the  solu- 
tion of  the  problem,  if  there  is  one,  probably  lies  between  the 
positions  which  have  been  quoted.  Missionaries  should  realize 
that  the  increased  cost  of  living  affects  their  supporters  in 
.America  as  seriously  as  it  affects  them  and  their  work.  Mr. 
P'rank  Greene,  editor, of  Bradstreet’s  Journal,  shows  by  com- 
parative tables  that  the  prices  of  thirteen  classes  of  staple  com- 
modities have  made  an  average  increase  of  sixty-one  per  cent, 
since  July  i,  1896,  and  that  prices  are  still  going  up.f  Amer- 
ican Christians  cannot  pay  the  increased  cost  of  living  for  their 
own  families  and  also  for  the  families  of  the  host  of  native 
workers  in  Asia,  Africa  and  Central  and  South  America; 
neither  are  they  willing  to  have  all  the  advance  in  giving  which 
they  can  make  absorbed  by  higher  salaries  for  the  native  work- 
ers already  employed.  The  Churches  of  Europe  and  America 
cannot  support  the  Native  Churches  of  Asia  and  Africa,  or 
render  their  ministry  financially  attractive.  That  is  not  what 
they  are  trying  to  do,  nor  what  they  ought  to  do.  They  could 
not  if  they  would,  and  they  would  not  if  they  could.  The  rea- 
sons why  Christians  on  the  foreign  field  should  be  required  to 
look  toward  self-support  are  so  familiar  and  so  fundamentally 
imperative  from  the  viewpoint  not  only  of  the  ability  of  the 
Christians  of  the  West  but  the  real  welfare  of  the  Native 
Church  itself,  that  it  is  unnecessary  to  repeat  them  here.t 

On  the  other  hand,  Christians  at  home  should  remember  that 
the  Native  Church  in  non-Christian  lands  is  yet  in  its  infancy, 
that  they  themselves  needed  help  at  the  corresponding  period 
of  their  development,  and  that  the  Presbyterian  Church  main- 
tains no  less  than  six  Boards  to  give  aid  to  the  home  mission 
churches  and  institutions  of  our  own  country.  The  Native 
Churches  on  the  foreign  field  have  not  yet  reached  the  stage  of 
the  Churches  of  the  West,  where  there  are  numerous  wealthy 
congregations  which  can  aid  the  small  and  weak  ones  and  send 
home  missicnaries  to  preach  to  the  unevangelized.  Here  and 
there  praiseworthy  beginnings  of  this  kind  have  been  made  in 
.Asia ; but  speaking  broadly,  the  native  congregations  are  made 
up  of  very  poor  people  who  are  less  able  to  support  their 
churches  than  members  of  home  mission  churches  in  the  United 
States.  It  is  undoubtedly  better  to  let  them  struggle  and  sac- 

•Cf.  "New  Forces  in  Old  China.”  Chap.  IX — "The  Economic  Revolution  in 
Asia."  and  C'hap.  XXIII — "The  Strain  of  Readjustment  to  Changed  Economic 
Conditions.” 

t Article  I in  The  Outlook,  March  12,  1910. 

1 Cf.  The  Foreign  Missionary,  pp.  38-43. 


171 


rifice  than  to  give  them  help  which  woiiLl  foster  the  spirit  of 
dependence ; but  we  should  not  see  the  leaders  who  are  most  in- 
dispensable to  the  growth  of  the  Church,  the  extension  of  the 
Gospel  and  the  maintenance  of  our  schools  and  colleges,  driven 
into  commercial  life  or  government  employ  because  their  full 
support  cannot  yet  be  provided  by  their  poverty-stricken  fel- 
low Christians.  The  question  which  confronts  many  a capable 
Asiatic  minister  and  teacher  is  not  so  much  additional  comfort 
as  the  bare  necessities  of  life  for  himself  and  his  family.  A 
larger  sum  for  this  purpose,  judiciously  use.l  by  prudent  Mis- 
sions, will  not  harm  but  strengthen  our  work.* 

SCHOOLS  FOR  MISSIONARIES’  CHILDREN. 

.A.  request  to  the  Board  regarding  the  establishment  of  schools 
on  the  field  for  the  education  of  the  children  of  missionaries 
was  referred  to  me  prior  to  my  departure  in  order  that  I might 
discuss  the  subject  in  conferences  with  missionaries  whom  I 
might  meet  during  my  tour.  I found  some  difference  of  opin- 
ion among  missionaries  as  to  the  best  course  to  be  pursued. 

The  majority  of  those  whose  views  were  obtained  prefer  to 
keep  their  children  with  them  during  the  years  of  primary  and 
grammar  school  training.  British  and  Continental  missionaries 
are  often  willing  to  send  their  young  children  away  from  home 
to  school,  and  a few  American  missionaries  will  do  so : but  most 
of  our  missionary  parents  will  not.  It  would  be  impossible 
for  the  Boards  to  send  out  the  hundreds  of  teachers  who  would 
be  required  for  such  local  schools,  and  there  appears  to  be  no 
practicable  alternative  but  to  leave  primary  and  grammar  school 
training  where  it  is  now — with  the  missionaries  themselves. 
Many  mothers  teach  their  own  children  during  these  years ; 
but  in  the  larger  stations,  parents  sometimes  unite  in  supporting 
a teacher  privately.  Most  countries  now  have  one  or  two  of 
the<;e  private  schools,  so-  that  a parent  who  wishes  to  send  a 
child  of  eight  or  ten  away  to  school  can  ordinarily  make  some 
arrangement  with  the  missionaries  where  a private  school  is 
conducted. 

'^here  appeared  to  be  unanimity  of  opinion  that  college  train- 
ing should  be  in  the  home  land.  Apart  from  the  impractica- 
hilPv  of  maintaining  institutions  of  collegiate  grade  on  the  field 
solely  for  foreign  children,  parents  realize  that  it  is  far  better 
that  a youth  of  eighteen  and  over  should  have  the  advantages 
which  can  only  be  obtained  in  America  or  Europe. 

The  period  of  greatest  perplexity  is  that  which  lies  between 
the  ages  of  12  and  18,  and  which,  educationally,  is  represented 
by  the  High  School  or  Preparatory  School.  I found  that  some 


• Cf.  The  Foreign  Missionary,  pp.  291.  292. 


172 


missionaries  have  no  zeal  about  the  establishment  even  of  such 
schools  on  the  forei.e;n  field,  unless  the  schools  are  to  be  in  their 
immediate  neighborhood.  They  said  if  they  were  going  to  send 
their  boys  and  girls  away  from  home  at  all,  they  would  rather 
send  them  to  America  than  to  another  city  in  Asia.  Most  mis- 
sionaries. however,  took  a different  view.  Thev  were  .leeply 
grateful  for  the  schools  for  missionaries'  children  which  have 
been  founded  in  America.  Thev  felt  that  these  schools  were 
rendering  inestimable  service  and  that  among  the  thousands  of 
children  represented  bv  the  more  than  seven  thousand  Amer- 
ican missionaries,  there  will  always  be  enough  who  must  be 
educated  at  home  to  tax  the  accommodations  of  such  schools. 
They  appreciate,  too.  the  generous  and  sympathetic  provision 
which  some  boarding-schools  make  for  the  children  of  mis- 
sionaries. But  they  expressed  their  strong  unwillingness  to 
send  their  children  so  far  away  as  America  at  the  formative 
period  in  a child's  life  when  parental  influence  is  greatly  needed 
and  when  total  separation  from  home  for  a prolonged  period 
involves  both  physical  and  moral  dangers.  Relatives  are  not 
always  available  during  vacations  and  health  emergencies. 

The  urgency  of  the  appeals  for  assistance  in  solving  this 
problem  were  pathetic  in  some  instances.  Familiaritv  with  mis- 
sionary life  changes  one's  opinion  as  to  where  the  real  strain 
comes.  i\ranv  imagine  that  it  lies  in  physical  hardships.  These, 
however,  except  in  a few  fields,  are  relatively  insignificant. 
There  are  onlv  two  great  hardships  in  missionary  life:  first, 
the  sense  of  loneliness  and  expatriation  which  comes  to  one  who 
feels  that  he  is  far  from  relatives  and  native  land  and  the  move- 
ments of  his  country's  life:  second,  the  separation  of  fam- 
ilies. The  latter  is  the  heavier  of  the  two.  There  comes  a 
time  in  the  life  of  most  missionarv  parents  when  they  realize 
that  their  children  cannot  be  nroperlv  trained  on  the  fiekl.  The 
barrier  of  language,  of  methods  of  'living,  and  of  different 
moral  and  social  standards,  puts  the  .schools  for  native  chil- 
dren out  of  the  question.  Parents  cannot  teach  their  children 
themselves  without  interfering  too  seriously  with  their  mission- 
ary work  : and  such  education  anyway  is  not  good  for  a boy  of 
more  than  ten  or  twelve  vears.  He  needs  contact  with  other 
boys  in  the  life  and  discipline  of  a school,  if  manly  qualities  are 
to  be  developed.  Some  missionaries  feel  that  the  establishment 
of  suitable  schools  on  the  field  is  so  indispensable  that,  if  not 
provided,  they  must  resign.  But  resignation  would  separate 
them  from  the  life  work  to  which  they  consecrated  themselves 
and  be  an  injustice  to  the  cause  which  needs  them  and  to  the 
Church  which  sent  them  out  and  maintained  them  during  the 
years  of  inexperience  and  language  study.  The  proposal  that 


173 


the  wife  go  home  with  the  cliiKlren  and  leave  the  iuisband  on 
the  field  will  be  suggested  only  by  those  who  have  the  least  idea 
of  what  it  means. 

In  a few  of  the  largest  stations,  the  problem  has  been  par- 
tially solved  by  missionaries  uniting  in  the  support  of  a teacher 
brought  from  America  for  the  purpose.  But  schools  of  this 
kind  are  necessarilv  small  and  lacking  in  the  equipment  which 
is  required  for  good  training,  while  they  are  quite  beyond  the 
reach  of  missionaries  in  smaller  stations ; and  these  missionaries 
form  a large  majority  of  the  total  force. 

INIaking  all  allowance  for  missionaries  who  prefer  to  send 
their  children  to  America,  a great  preponderance  of  mission- 
ary opinion  strongly  favors  the  establishment  of  pieparatory 
schools  on  the  field.  The  earnest  efiforts  of  the  missionaries  in 
the  Yang-tse  \"alley  to  secure  funds  for  a union  school  at  Kill- 
ing. and  of  tdie  missionaries'  in  Korea  to  enlarge  the  school  at 
Pyeng  Yang,  and  the  pathetic  failure  of  both  efiforts  are  well 
known.  Missionaries  should  not  be  left  to  struggle  unaided 
with  such  a burden,  when  it  is  an  inseparable  concomitant  of 
missionarv  life  under  Protestant  ideals. 

The  financial  problem  involved  is  a serious  one.  It  is  easy  to 
reply  that  special  funds  could  be  secured.  But  every  experi- 
enced administrator  of  missions  knows  that  the  education  of 
the  children  of  missionaries  appeals  chieflv  to  those  who  are 
alreadv  so  leeply  in  sympathy  with  missionaries  and  their  work 
that  they  are  giving  about  all  that  can  be  expected  from  them. 
That,  much  sought  for  individual,  “the  man  who  can  give  a 
great  deal  more  than  he  is  giving.”  is  far  more  likelv  to  respond 
to  an  appeal  for  a hospital  or  some  other  form  of  direct  mis- 
sionary work  among  natives.  He  seldom  understands  why  we 
should  feel  any  special  responsibility  for  children  ; “they  are 
not  taken  into  consideration  in  the  support  of  any  other  class  of 
Christian  workers  in  the  world,  why  should  thev  not  be  deem- 
ed the  personal  resnonsibiltv  of  the  parent,  like  the  children  of 
ministers  at  home?” 

This  ob'ection  can  be  answered,  as  we  all  know:  but  we  can 
not  follow  it  up  evervwhere ; and  when  we  have  convinced  any 
particular  person,  we  have  done  so  bv  such  arguments  and 
brought  him  to  such  a point  that  he  will  give  for  almost  any 
phase  of  missionarv  work,  so  that  his  gift  cannot  properly  be 
considered  “an  extra  which  would  not  otherwise  be  made.” 
There  are  exceptions ; we  know  some  of  them : but  they  are  not 
, numerous  enough  to  warrant  the  establishment  of  permanent 
and  expensive  institutions  in  dependence  upon  them.  Here 
and  there  a particular  plant  may  be  secured  by  a special  extra 
gift;  we  hope  that  many  such  gifts  might  be  secured.  But  the 


174 


Boards  may  as  well  face  at  the  outset,  the  probability  that  they 
may  have  to  underwrite  the  expenditure.  Moreover,  I doubt 
the  wisdom  of  appealing  for  objects  for  which  the  Boards  are 
not  prepared  to  assume  responsibilit}’. 

It  is  better  to  meet  the  issue  squarely  and  saj^  that,  if  schools 
for  missionaries'  children  should  be  aided  from  America  at  all, 
they  should  be  regarded  as  an  integral  part  of  our  missionary 
duty.  The  principle  has  been  virtually  accepted  by  every  Board 
which  pays  a children's  allowance — and  all  Boards  do  in  one 
form  or  another.  Unless  we  are  prepared  to  advocate  a celibate 
missionary  body,  we  must  recognize  the  family  as  a part  of  the 
expense  involved  in  the  maintenance  of  the  worker  on  the  for- 
eign field.  Conditions  at  home  are  not  parallel,  for  the  Chris- 
tian worker  here  is  paid  a salary  which  may  be  increased  with 
years  and  experience,  and  he  has  an  abundance  of  schools  for 
the  education  of  his  children.  But  the  foreign  missionary  is 
not  given  a salary  but  simply  a support ; nor  is  he  in  the  home 
land  where  his  children  might  have  access  to  the  schools  which 
are  so  abundantly  provided  for  the  children  of  our  home  minis- 
try. We  would  not  press  this  principle  too  far.  M e are  aware 
that  foreign  missionary  life  inevitably  involves  some  disadvan- 
tages as  compared  with  life  in  the  United  States  and  that  it 
would  be  unreasonable  to  expect  the  Boards  to  equalize  the  con- 
ditions. He  who  accepts  foreign  missionary  service  accepts 
certain  limitations  both  for  himself  and  for  his  family.  The 
fact,  therefore,  that  a missionary  does  not  enjoy  some  oppor- 
tunities which  he  would  have  enjoyed  if  he  had  stayed  at  home 
does  not  necessarily  prove  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Boards  to 
try  to  supply  them.  But  recognition  of  this  fact  does  not  lessen 
our  duty  to  help  him  in  a matter  so  vital  as  the  education  of  his 
children. 

A distinction,  however,  may  be  drawn  between  plant  and 
maintenance.  The  former  must,  of  course,  come  from  America. 
Teachers  must  be  selected  here  and  perhaps  part  of  their  sal- 
aries may  have  to  be  provided  in  some  cases.  But  maintenance 
can  be  largely  aided  by  the  missionaries  themselves.  Current 
expenses  should  not  be  large,  as  the  life  of  the  school  should  be 
as  plain  as  would  be  consistent  with  health  and  thorough  work, 
as  every  missionary  parent  receives  an  allowance  for  children 
which  would  enable  him  to  pay  at  least  $ioo  annually  for  each 
child,  and  as  self-help  facilities  should  be  provided.  It  would 
be  cheaper  for  missionaries  to  send  their  children  to  schools  on 
the  field  than  it  is  to  send  them  to  schools  in  the  United  States, 
as  most  of  them  now  do.  Living  expenses  are  less  in  Asia  and 
the  children's  allowances  would  go  farther.  This  appears  to 
be  the  opinion  of  the  large  and  representative  Committee  of  the 


175 

missionaries  in  the  Yang-tse  Valley,  China,  for  they  state  in 
their  printed  appeal : 

“As  to  the  current  expenses  of  the  school,  it  has  been  reckon- 
ed by  the  management  of  the  Anglo-American  School  that  a 
grant  of  gold  $2,500  a year  from  the  American  Boards  would 
guarantee  the  financial  stability  of  the  school.  When 
it  is  considered  that  some  of  the  Boards  make  edu- 
cational grants  for  the  children  of  their  workers,  and  that  many 
of  the  beneficiaries  would  be  glad  to  have  this  grant  allocated 
to  the  Killing  School,  the  grant  requested,  when  allotted  among 
ten  or  even  five  Boards,  would  hardly  appear  as  a charge  at 
all.” 

The  Right  Rev.  L.  H.  Roots,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  Hankow, 
writes:  “We  all  feel  that  if  the  Boards  will  take  up  the  matter, 
that  they  could  find  the  teachers,  and  that  under  the  supervision 
of  a joint  committee  of  the  Boards,  the  school  management 
would  be  efficient  and  the  stafif  of  teachers  satisfactory.  Granted 
these  two  conditions,  there  seems  to  be  no  reason  why  the  school 
should  not  meet  the  greater  part  of  its  own  expenses,  especially 
if  some  few  individuals  could  be  interested,  as  no  doubt  they 
could  be,  to  provide  tbe  larger  items  of  expense  involved  in 
securing  land  and  buildings.  Tbe  matter  of  three  to  five  hun- 
dred dollars  a year  for  each  of  the  Boards  does  not  seem  a very 
serious  one  financially,  and  if  that  were  all  that  were  involved, 
I think  that  the  missionaries  on  the  field  could  meet  the  ex- 
pense, since  they  have  actually  contributed  Mex.  $5,000  a year 
for  the  past  three  years.” 

The  question  of  expense  is  not  all  one  of  outgo.  The  prob- 
lem of  keeping  a force  in  a condition  of  high  efficiency  is  as 
serious  in  missions  as  in  war.  An  anxiety  which  wears  upon 
nerves,  which  often  begets  depression,  which  interferes  with 
work,  and  which  not  infrequently  causes  return  to  America  of 
the  mother,  and  sometimes  of  the  father  also,  is  a matter  which 
may  well  be  considered  from  the  viewpoint  both  of  efficiency 
and  economy. 

In  presenting  this  subject,  I do  not  ignore  the  fact  that  some 
schools  for  the  children  of  missionaries  already  exist.  We 
could  easily  name  several ; some  of  them,  like  the  China  Inland 
School  at  Chefoo,  China,  being  large  and  well  equipped  institu- 
tions. India  has  several  schools,  and  Japan  and  a few  other 
countries  have  one  or  more.  A few  cities  which  have  a con- 
siderable British  population  have  private  boarding  schools.  The 
needs  of  certain  regions  are  fairly  supplied  by  these  schools. 
There  should  be  no  interference  with  them.  The  difference  be- 
tween British  and  American  methods  is  not  serious  enough  to 
justify  duplication  in  a region  which  has  already  a British 
L 


176 


? 

I 


school.  \\’h.ere  the  existing  school  lacks  equipment  which 
would  enable  it  to  meet  the  needs  of  its  vicinage,  there  should 
be  consultation  with  a view  of  ascertaining  whether  enlarge- 
ment is  practicable,  before  another  institution  is  established. 
Speaking  generally,  however,  the  schools  now  in  existence  are 
too  few,  too  widely  scattered,  too  restricted  in  curriculum,  and 
either  too  limite.l  in  accommodations  or  too  expensive  to  meet 
the  requirements  of  a large  majority  of  missionaries.  With 
occasional  exceptions,  they  are  small  private  schools,  or  they 
are  maintained  by  particular  Societies  for  the  children  of  their 
own  missionaries.  They  gladly  welcome  the  children  of  other 
missionaries  as  far  as  their  accommodations  permit,  but  this 
“left  over  space"  is  apt  to  be  variable  and  uncertain.  The  sub- 
ject calls  for  a larger  and  more  adequate  haiivlling,  a definite 
fixing  of  responsibility  and  policy. 

For  these  and  other  reasons,  which  I have  not  time  to  con- 
sider here,  I report  the  following  conclusions : 

First:  The  proper  care  and  maintenance  of  our  missionary 
force  require  schools  on  the  field  for  the  education  of  white 
children. 

Seconfl : These  schools,  wherever  practicable,  should  be 
union  schools.  This  does  not  necessarily  involve  change  in  the 
government  of  any  already  established  school.  No  one,  for  ex- 
ample, would  propose  altering  the  type  of  such  an  institution 
as  the  C.  I.  AI.  School  at  Chefoo.  But  practically  the  entire 
force  of  the  C.  I.  M.  is  concentrated  in  one  country,  and  it  is 
therefore  practicable  for  it  to  do  some  things  for  its  mission- 
aries which  are  not  practicable  for  Societies  whose  missionaries 
are  scattered  all  over  the  world  with  not  enough  constituency 
in  any  single  country  to  justify  a separate  school.  There  is 
absolutely  no  good  reason  why  the  children  of  missionaries  of 
the  various  .\merican  Boards  and  Societies  should  not  be  taught 
in  the  same  institutions.  No  denominational  necessity  separ- 
ates them,  and  the  union  school  can  have  a larger  constituency, 
a more  permanent  support,  a better  equipment,  and  a student 
body  of  wider  range  and  sympathies. 

Third : These  schools  should  be  .American.  We  need  hardly 
say  that  no  reflection  is  intended  upon  our  British  and  Con- 
tinental brethren.  But  the  language  question  would  make  it 
impracticable  to  unite  with  missionaries  from  the  Continent  of 
Europe,  while  many  .American  missionaries  feel  that  the  Brit- 
ish and  .American  educational  methods  are  so  dififerent  that  it 
would  be  better  for  us  to  establish  our  own  schools ; though,  of 
course,  as  cordial  welcome  should  be  extended  to  children  of 
British  missionaries  as  the  British  China  Inland  Mission  School 
at  Chefoo  extends  to  the  children  of  .American  missionaries. 


1/7 


Fourth:  Not  more  than  one  school  should  be  established  in 
a country,  except  where  a given  country,  like  Africa  or  China, 
is  of  such  continental  proportions  that  a single  institution  could 
not  properly  meet  its  needs. 

Fifth:  The  schools  should  be  designed  for  children  between 
the  approximate  ages  of  twelve  and  twenty,  the  schools  not  to 
undertake  either  primary  or  collegiate  work,  but  to  make  the 
courses  preparatory  to  college  entrance. 

Sixth  : Each  Board  co-operating  in  a given  school  should  pay 
that  proportion  of  cost  which  its  missionary  force  in  the  region 
concerned  sustains  to  the  total  missionary  force  of  that  region. 

Seventh  : The  local  management  of  each  school  should  be 
committed  to  a Field  Board  of  Directors,  composed  of  mission- 
aries wdio  are  members  of  the  Missions  in  the  region  served  by 
the  school. 

Eighth : Questions  of  property,  equipment,  endowment,  tui- 
tion, curriculum,  the  relation  of  boarding  and  tuition  charges 
to  children’s  allowances,  admission  of  children  ot  non-mis- 
sionary foreigners,  number  and  selection  of  teachers,  manual 
and  other  labor  as  an  aid  in  diminishing  expenses,  and  other 
matters  of  detail,  should  be  worked  out  by  the  Societies  and 
Field  Board  of  Directors  co-operating  in  a given  school. 

This  subject  also  is  one  which,  in  my  judgment,  should  be 
dealt  with,  not  by  denominational  Boards  acting  independently, 
but  by  joint  action.  I therefore  presented  it  to  the  Conference 
of  representatives  of  the  Foreign  ^Missions’  Boards  of  the  Unit- 
ed States  and  Canada  in  my  report  as  Chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  Reference  and  Counsel,  and  the  following  action  was 
taken : “Resolved,  That  the  Conference  express  its  interest  in 
the  investigations  already  made  by  the  Committee  on  Refer- 
ence and  Counsel  on  the  subject  of  Schools  for  Missionaries' 
Children,  and  that  this  Committee  be  requested  to  secure  an 
expression  of  judgment  from  the  Boards  in  North  America  as 
to  the  plans  outlined  by  the  Committee,  and  to  report  their  find- 
ings to  the  Conference  of  iQir.” 

The  Committee  is  taking  up  the  matter  in  the  way  indicated. 
Meantime,  the  way  appears  clear  for  our  Board  to  move  at 
once,  in  co-operation  with  the  other  Boards  concerned,  for  the 
equipment  of  schools  in  a few  places  where  conditions  are  ripe 
for  them,  notably  in  Korea  and  China. 

FURLOUGHS  AND  TERMS  OF  SERVICE. 

The  present  Manual  rule  makes  the  term  of  service  in  Japan, 
Korea  and  most  of  China  eight  years  and  the  furlough  one  year 
in  addition  from  the  time  of  travel.  The  Korea  Mission  asked 
the  Board  to  authorize  a shorter  term  and  a shorter  furlough. 
The  Board  took  the  following  action  April  5th,  1909 : 


178 


“As  the  principles  involved  have  thus  far  been  accepted  only  in  the 
case  of  Missions  in  the  tropics,  and  as  the  extension  of  them  to  Korea 
would  involve  a similar  extension  to  all  other  Missions  in  temperate 
regions  which  might  desire  them,  it  was  deemed  wise  to  defer  action 
until  Secretary  Brown  can  ascertain  the  views  of  other  Missions  during 
his  proposed  visit  to  Japan,  Korea  and  China.” 

I found  wide  differences  of  opinion  among  missionaries. 
Some  strongly  feel  that  eight  years  are  too  long  for  a mission- 
ary to  remain  in  Asia  without  returning  to  the  conditions  of 
the  home  land.  They.urge  that  he  gets  too  much  out  of  touch 
with  the  atmos])here  and  movements  of  a Christian  civilization; 
that  it  is  difficult  for  him  to  retain  his  physical  strength  and 
vitality  at  full  vigor  for  so  long  a period  amid  the  conditions  of 
a non-Christian  land ; that  the  last  year  or  two  of  the  present 
term  is  in  many  in.stances  a dragging  along  while  waiting  to  go 
home : and  that  the  missionary’s  efficiency  would  be  maintained 
at  a higher  level  and  that  there  would  be  fewer  disastrous  health 
breaks,  if  the  term  were  shortened. 

It  is  true  that  the  IManual  authorizes  return  to  America  at 
any  time  if.  in  the  judgment  of  physicians  and  the  Mission, 
health  emergencies  are  imperative.  But  this  requirement  is 
rightly  understood  to  apply  only  to  serious  cases  of  illness  or 
accident,  and  it  is  urge.l  that  it  does  not  give  the  desired  relief, 
since  it  does  not  permit  the  return  of  the  missionary  who  is 
simply  tired  out  and  needs  a rest  and  change.  INIany  mission- 
aries. too.  do  not  like  to  submit  to  what  they  regard  as  the 
stigma  of  being  sent  home  on  a medical  certificate  of  broken 
health.  Xo  man  likes  to  be  treated  like  an  invalid  unless  his 
condition  is  very  serious. 

The  majority  of  the  missionaries  whose  opinions  I heard 
favor  this  position.  I have  alrea.lv  indicated  that  the  Korea 
Mission  asked  for  a modification  of  the  present  regulations,  and 
a majority  of  the  representatives  of  the  five  Missions  assembled 
at  Shanghai  ex])ressed  the  opinion  that  the  pre.sent  term  of  ser- 
vice is  too  long.  It  was  jwoposed  to  recommend  si.x  years  as 
the  best  length  for  the  first  term  of  service  in  the  Yang-tse  ^’al- 
ley  and  South  China.  The  vote  on  this  stood  seventeen  for 
and  nine  against. 

There  are  missionaries,  however,  who  state  with  some  em- 
phasis that  they  believe  that  the  present  terms  are  reasonable ; 
that  with  the  increasing  comforts  which  surround  missionary 
life  in  the  Far  East,  an.l  the  decreasing  isolation  and  loneli- 
ness due  to  the  more  frequent  mail  service  and  the  multiplying 
conveniences  of  civilization,  there  is  no  reason  why  a mission- 
ary should  have  the  working  period  of  eight  years  shortened, 
especially  amid  the  favorable  climatic  conditions  of  Korea, 
Japan  and  the  northern  half  of  China.  The  medical  and  surgical 


179 


skill  which  is  now  accessible  to  the  average  missionary  is  often 
as  good  as  that  which  is  accessible  to  the  home  missionary  in 
America,  while  the  health  resorts  of  Killing,  Tsing-tau,  Chefoo 
and  Peita-ho,  China,  and  several  coast  and  mountain  resorts  in 
Korea  and  Japan  are  excellent.  It  is  alleged  that  one  reason 
why  some  missionaries  become  so  homesick  and  depressed  be- 
fore the  expiration  of  their  terms  of  service  is  that  they  do  not 
succeed  in  developing  that  mental  attitude  toward  their  field 
and  environment  which  missionary  life  presupposes.  As  one 
missionary  put  it : “We  do  not  come  out  here  as  temporary  resi- 
dents. We  come  to  live,  to  make  our  homes  among  these  peo- 
ple and  to  find  our  friends  among  them.  We  ought  to  feel  that 
this  is  our  place,  and  not  be  so  eager  to  go  back  to  America  at 
every  opportunity.” 

It  is  diificujt  for  one  who  has  not  resided  for  a long  period  in 
a non-Christian  land  to  write  intelligently  on  such  a subject. 
It  is  almost  impossible  for  him  to  appreciate  the  conditions 
which  are  involved.  The  necessity  for  furloughs  in  the  temper- 
ate zone  ^Missions  is  more  mental  than  physical;  but  it  is  none 
the  less  real  on  that  account.  Man  is  something  more  than  an 
animal.  A Christian  man  in  particular  finds  it  difficult  to  main- 
tain his  spiritual  vigor  and  ideals  in  a non-Christian  land  where 
the  environment  is  debilitating.  Nostalgia,  too.  while  not  physi- 
cal. afifects  disastrously  the  physical  condition,  as  every  army 
surgeon  and  medical  missionarv  knows.  It  is  easy  to  say  that  a 
missionary  ought  to  feel  that  his  station  is  his  home ; but  it  is 
not  easy  for  a normally  constituted  person  to  emancipate  him- 
self from  all  longing  thoughts  of  loved  ones  and  native  land.  I 
still  hold  to  the  statement  in  paragraph  17  of  the  Alanual,  which 
I drafted:  "Missionaries  live  and  w'ork  amid  conditions  wdiich 
are  not  only  trying  to  health,  but  which  involve  peculiar  nerv- 
ous strain.  It  is  therefore  not  only  desirable,  but  necessary, 
that  they  should  have  occasional  furloughs  in  the  United  States 
for  purposes  of  physical  recuperation,  mental  change  and  spir- 
itual reinvigoration.” 

The  frequency  and  duration  of  furloughs,  however,  is  a fair 
subject  for  discussion.  The  ^Manual  paragraph  therefore  con- 
tinues : 

“The  frequency  with  which  said  furloughs  should  be  taken  varies 
with  the  degree  of  isolation,  the  healthfulness  of  the  climate  and  the 
vigor  of  the  missionary,  there  being  wide  differences  in  these  respects 
which  make  any  rigid  and  uniform  term  of  doubtful  expediency. 

"While  the  Board  can  establish  the  approximate  term  of  service  for 
the  country,  there  is  force  in  the  suggestion  which  has  come  from  the 
field,  that  the  Mission  itself  can  best  determine  the  precise  limits  for 
the  individual  missionary,  as  it  is  more  conversant  wth  the  physical  con- 
dition of  the  individual  and  with  the  work  which  will  be  affected  by  his 
departure. 


i8o 


“The  vastness  of  the  field  and  the  comparatively  small  number  of 
laborers,  the  urgent  importance  of  every  available  missionary  being  at 
his  post,  the  serious  interference  with  the  work  which  furloughs  neces- 
sitate and  the  additional  burdens  which  they  lay  upon  already  over- 
worked colleagues,  as  well  as  their  costliness  and  the  criticism,  however 
unwarranted,  which  they  frequently  cause  in  this  country  render  it  de- 
sirable that  the  furloughs  should  be  limited  to  the  reasonable  necessities 
of  each  case.  It  is  believed  that  increased  facilities  for  intercommuni- 
cation, and  the  extension  of  the  conveniences  of  civilization,  make  the 
lot  of  the  missionary  more  tolerable  than  it  was  a generation  ago,  and 
that  in  these  circumstaiifes  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  expect  that  the 
tendency  should  be  toward  a lengthened  rather  than  toward  a shortened 
term  of  service.” 

The  question,  from  an  administrative  viewpoint,  is  compli- 
cated by  the  every-present  problem  of  finances.  Furloughs  cost 
money;  a good  deal  of  it.  The  furlough  travel  of  a single  indi- 
vidual averages  about  $600  gold,  and  families  swell  the  amounts 
to  large  figures.  There  are  usually  about  150  missionaries  of 
our  Board  on  furlough,  and  it  will  be  readily  seen  that  the  ex- 
penditure is  heavy.  Every  dollar  added  to  that  expenditure  is 
a dollar  deducted  from  the  amount  available  for  the  field.  The 
custom  of  the  Board,  in  making  its  regular  appropriations,  is  to 
set  aside  the  required  sum  for  missionaries’  salaries,  children’s 
allowances,  furloughs  and  administrative  expenses,  and  assign 
what  is  lef.  to  the  native  work  classes.  Anything,  therefore, 
that  increases  the  former  class  of  expenses  decreases  the  lat- 
ter. This  is  not  of  itself  a reason  why  the  term  of  service 
should  not  be  shortened.  Indeed  there  are  missionaries  who 
claim  that  more  frequent  furloughs  would  be  economical,  as 
they  would  prevent  total  breakdown  of  health,  which  is  the 
most  costly  of  all,  and  would  keep  missionary  vigor  at  a.  higher 
stage  of  efficiency.  They  urge  that  prevention  is  cheaper  than 
cure,  especially  as  many  a sick  missionary  has  to  take  a pro- 
longed furlough  and,  in  some  cases,  retire  from  the  work  alto- 
gether. However,  it  can  hardly  be  doubted  that  more  frequent 
furloughs  would  cost  more  money,  and  this  is  a serious  matter 
wdien  the  Missions  are  telling  the  Board  that  their  most  im- 
perative necessities  are  more  funds  for  current  work. 

. W'e  must  consider,  too,  the  effect  of  frequent  furloughs  upon 
missionaries  remaining  on  the  field.  Our  average  station  force 
is  inadequate  even  when  all  the  members  are  at  their  posts. 
When  a hospital  or  a school  has  to  be  close. 1,  or  evangelistic 
work  in  a large  section  practically  discontinued  for  a )’ear  and  a 
(juarter  while  the  missionary  in  charge  goes  home  on  furlough, 
it  is  a .serious  matter.  Some  laymen  who  have  visited  the  for- 
eign field  in  recent  years  have  severely  criticised  this  effect  of 
furloughs. 


i8i 


My  own  conviction  is  that  both  the  terms  of  service  and  the 
furloughs  are  too  long.  Xo  one  needs  to  be  away  from  his  field 
work  fourteen  months  every  eight  years,  unless  he  is  ill ; and  if 
he  is,  he  will  get  the  needed  time  anyway.  All  reasonable  re- 
cuperation and  visiting  can  be  done  in  a shorter  absence,  and 
the  field  work  would  not  be  so  badly  demoralized  by  prolonged 
absence,  while  there  would  be  fewer  breakdowns  if  there  were 
some  provision  by  wdiich  a missionary  who  is  not  utterly  broken 
could  go  home  before  the  expiration  of  the  term  period  of  eight 
years,  when  in  the  judgment  of  the  Mission  it  is  wise  for  him 
to  do  so  and  practicable  from  the  viewpoint  of  his  work,  I be- 
lieve. however,  that  the  present  e.xpenditure  for  furloughs  is  as 
large  as  it  is  practicable  to  make  it,  in  justice  to  the  native  work. 

These  two  conditions  might  be  met  by  the  adoption  of  the 
principle  that  a full  furlough  of  one  year  in  this-  country  in 
addition  to  the  time  for  travel,  with  the  full  payment  of  ex- 
penses both  ways,  should  be  given  only  after  a full  term  of  ser- 
vice, except  when  serious  conditions  of  ill  health  certified  by 
physicians  and  the  Mission  shall  render  an  emergency  return 
necessary ; but  that  when  not  less  than  half  the  temi  of  service 
shall  have  expired,  the  missionary  should  have  the  privilege  of 
a return  to  the  United  States  for  a proportionate  part  of  his 
regular  furlough,  with  the  payment  by  the  Board  of  a propor- 
tionate part  of  his  expenses ; provided  that  the  circum- 
stances are  approved  by  the  Mission  and  the  Board  and 
provision  for  that  part  of  the  expense  which  is  to  be 
met  by  the  Board  is  inserted  in  the  regular  appropria- 
tions for  the  year.  For  example,  if  the  term  of  service 
is  eight  years,  and  it  appears  necessary  for  a missionary 
to  take  a furlough  after  six  years,  he  might  do  so  on  the  follow- 
ing conditions:  ist — That  the  Board  will  pay  three-quarters  of 
his  traveling  expenses,  he  to  pay  the  other ; 2d — That  he  is 
to  take  three-quarters  of  the  regular  furlough  instead  of  the 
full  period;  3d — That  he  is  not  to  leave  the  field  without  the 
approval  of  the  Mission  and  the  Board;  4th — That  provision 
for  the  expense  involved  be  made  in  the  regular  estimates,  so 
that  the  Board  will  not  have  to  cover  it  by  special  appropria- 
tion after  the  budget  for  the  year  has  been  fixed. 

The  chief  objection  to  this  plan  is  that  it  would  be  most  prac- 
ticable for  missionaries  who  have  private  resources  apart  from 
their  salaries,  or  relatives  who  can  aid  them,  and  that  mission- 
aries who  are  not  as  fortunate  might  not  be  able  to  afford  the 
expenditure  which  is  involved.  Xo  plan,  however,  will  fit  every 
case.  I submitted  this  proposal  to  the  conferences  of  mission- 
aries, and  it  met  with  general  approval.  The  vote  in  the  Xorth 


China  conference  was  unanimous.  I recommend  ils  consider- 
ation by  the  Board. 

The  whole  question  should  be  approached  from  the  viewpoint 
of  deep  sympathy  with  missionaries.  Loneliness,  homesickness, 
the  oppressive  sense  of  conditions  alien  to  one’s  thought 
and  life  are  sore  trials  on  the  foreign  field.  We  had 
no  such  feeling  during  our  two  absences  in  Asia ; we 
would  gladly  have  prolonged  our  stay ; but  we  were  visitors, 
not  residents.  If  I were  a missionary,  I am  quite  sure  that  it 
would  not  be  good  for  me  to  have  liberty  to  go  home  when  I 
felt  like  it ; for  there  might  be  times  when  the  desire  to  see  the 
home  land  again  would  be  so  strong  that  I should  need  the  cor- 
rective and  restraining  influence  of  a rule  to  prevent  me,  in  a 
temporary  period  of  depression,  from  doing  what  my  soberer 
judgment  would  later  regret.  Freedom  to  leave  my  work  on 
my  own  initiative  would  "ofifer  too  large  a temptation  to  certain 
qualities  of  universal  human  nature,”  of  which  I have  my  full 
share.  It  would  be  wholesome  for  me,  not  only  to  know  that 
reasons  for  my  premature  return  would  have  to  be  approved  by 
others,  but  that  it  would  cost  me  some  money,  unless  it  was 
necessitated  by  actual  ill-healtb.  The  more  therefore  do  I ad- 
mire the  vlevotion  of  the  large  number  of  missionaries  who  do 
not  want  to  leave  the  field  until  they  have  to,  and  who  are  then 
eager  to  return  to  it  as  soon  as  they  can. 

OUTFIT  FOR  NEW  MISSIONARIES. 

The  outfit  allowance  of  $200.00,  which  the  Board  grants  to  a 
new  missionary,  is  small  when  one  considers  clothing  which 
must  be  purchased  and  the  cost  of  furnishing  a room  or  house. 
But  many  missionaries  feel  that  it  is  not  ordinarily  used  to  the 
best  advantage.  The  Board  has  long  cautioned  new  mission- 
aries about  the  danger  of  using  up  their  outfit  allowance  in  the 
L'nited  States  for  articles  which,  after  their  arrival  on  the  field, 
they  may  wish  that  they  had  not  bought.  No  amount  of  pre- 
liminary advice,  however,  appears  to  suffice,  and  every  year 
new  missionaries  arrive  on  the  field  with  articles  which  they  do 
not  need  at  all,  or  which  they  could  have  bought  cheaper  on  the 
field.  The  parts  of  Asia  where  our  Mission  stations  are  most 
numerous  are  no  longer  in  primitive  commercial  days.  Many 
articles,  particularly  of  clothing  and  furniture,  can  be  bought  or 
made  on  the  field  at  less  cost  than  in  America.  Several  mis- 
sionary wives  in  China  and  Laos  showed  me  handsome  tables, 
chairs  and  bedsteads  which  had  been  made  by  native  carpenters 
at  half  what  they  could  have  been  obtained  for  in  the  United 
States  and,  they  urged  me  to  tell  new  missionaries  not  to  bring 
any  furniture  to  the  field  at  all,  except  mattresses.  The  North 
China  Mission  officially  took  the  following  action: 


i83 


"The  Xorlh  China  Mission  recommends: 

"ist — That  only  one-lialf  of  the  outfit  allowance  be  paid  newly  ap- 
pointed missionaries  to  the  North  China  Mission  before  leaving 
the  United  States,  as  the  greater  part  of  the  outfit  can  be  purchased 
with  greater  wisdom  and  economy  after  reaching  the  field  ; 

“2nd — That  in  order  to  be  consistent  with  the  above,  we  revise  and 
shorten  all  former  outfit  lists  furnished  by  our  Mission ; 

“3rd — That  a permanent  Committee  be  appointed,  the  duties  of  which 
shall  be  to  write  immediately  upon  appointment  to  the  newly  appointed 
missionary  a letter  of  welcome,  setting  forth  the  probable  location  for 
the  first  year  and  conditions  in  that  place.” 

This  impresses  me  as  a wise  suggestion.  It  involves  no  loss 
to  the  missionary  who  may  find  that  more  than  half  of  his  sup- 
plies need  to  be  bought  in  America ; for  under  the  rules  of  the 
Board,  the  outfit  allowance  can  be  drawn  at  any  time  within  a 
year  after  departure,  and  the  Purchasing  Department  of  the 
Treasurer’s  Office  is  cordially  willing  to  make  any  purchases 
which  missionaries  may  order  by  letter  after  their  arrival  on  the 
field. 

POLICY  OF  THE  BOARD  REGARDING  THE  DOC- 
TRINAL SOUNDNESS  OF  CANDIDATES. 

This  question  was  raised  by  a number  of  missionaries  in  vari- 
ous places.  The  records  of  the  Board  indicate  a definite  posi- 
tion on  this  subject.  Unfortunately,  they  are  not  accessible  to 
missionaries  on  the  field,  except  perhaps  the  one  which  is  quot- 
ed in  the  Minutes  of  the  General  Assembly  of  1905,  and  even 
that  has  passed  from  memory  among  the  mass  of  Assembly  ac- 
tions year  after  year.  As  the  clearest  statement  of  the  Board’s 
policy  has  been  made  since  my  return  (March  7,  1910),  and  as 
this  Report  is  to  be  printed  for  the  use  of  the  Missions,  I ap- 
pend that  action  for  information: 

“The  question  of  the  powers  and  duties  of  the  Board  in  determining 
the  doctrinal  attitude  of  candidates  for  appointment  as  foreign  mission- 
aries having  again  been  under  consideration,  and  in  view  of  some  appar- 
ent misunderstanding  of  the  Board’s  policy,  the  Board  adopted  the  fol- 
lowing declaration  : 

“It  is  the  supreme  aim  of  the  Board  to  hasten  the  day  when  the  world 
shall  be  won  to  allegiance  to  Jesus  Christ.  To  this  end,  its  primary  pur- 
pose in  the  selection  of  candidates  is  to  commission  those  who  have  a 
clear  and  positive  message  of  salvation  through  Christ  which  it  is  their 
purpose  to  declare  to  men.  This  supreme  aim  for  which  the  Board  was 
organized  is  set  distinctly  before  every  applicant.  The  Board  deems  it 
vital  that  those  who  are  sent  out  to  preach  the  Gospel  as  representatives 
of  our  Church  in  other  lands  should  be  sound  in  faith,  holding  firmly 
to  the  doctrines  of  evangelical  Christianity  as  understood  by  the  Presby- 
terian Church  and  defined  in  its  doctrinal  Standards.  The  question 
therefore  is  not  whether  unsound  men  should  be  commissioned,  for  the 
Board  has  no  intention  of  commissioning  them ; the  question  is,  who  is 
to  determine  what  constitutes  soundness? 


i84 

‘‘The  Board  reiterates  its  long  established  policy,  repeatedly  expressed 
and  specifically  approved  by  the  General  Assembly,  particularly  in  1905, 
and  which  is  a fundamental  principle  of  Presbyterianism,  namely,  that 
the  phase  of  the  question  which  relates  to  the  doctrinal  soundness  of 
candidates  is  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Presbyteries  and  not  of  the 
Board.  The  Board  is  not  a judicatory  of  the  Church  and  it  has  no 
authority  in  ecclesiastical  matters.  It  is  simply  the  agency  of  the 
Church  for  the  conduct  and  supervision  of  its  foreign  missionary  work. 
While  it  has,  and  from  the  nature  of  the  case  must  have,  sole  authority 
in  matters  of  administration  and  in  determining  the  general  qualifi- 
cations of  missionaries,  subject  only  to  the  General  Assembly,  its  au- 
thority does  not,  and  in  the  opinion  of  the  Board  should  not,  extend  to 
the  determination  of  what  constitutes  that  soundness  in  the  faith  which 
entitles  one  to  admission  into  the  ministry  either  at  home  or  abroad. 
This  authority  the  Presbyterian  Church  has  lodged  in  its  Presbyteries 
and  it  does  not  permit  its  Boards  to  override  them  in  the  lawful  exer- 
cise of  their  constitutional  functions. 

“An  appointment  of  the  Board  is  therefore  subject  to  examination  for 
ordination  by  the  judicatory  under  whose  care  the  candidate  belongs. 
Such  appointment  in  the  case  of  ministers  ordinarily  has  to  be  made  oe- 
fore  the  examination  for  ordination.  This  e.xamination  is  seldom  prac- 
ticable until  the  spring  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  at  the  close  of  the 
candidate’s  seminary  course.  The  determination  of  general  qualifi- 
cations for  appointment  to  the  foreign  field  involves  many  other  ques- 
tions which  should  be  passed  upon  at  aii  earlier  date.  Presbyteries  be- 
fore which  such  conditional  appointees  appear  for  examination  should 
understand  that  the  Board's  prior  appointment  is  not  equivalent  to  a 
request  for  favorable  action,  that  it  is  not  to  be  interpreted  as  an  expres- 
sion of  opinion  on  the  part  of  the  Board  as  to  the  candidate’s  doctrinal 
views,  and  that  it  does  not  prejudge  or  embarrass  the  matter  in  any 
way.  It  is  simply  a reference  to  the  Presbytery  of  that  portion  of  the 
candidate’s  examination  for  foreign  missionary  appointment  which  re- 
lates to  fitness  for  entering  the  ministry. 

“The  Board  expresses  the  hope  that  all  Presbyteries  which  are  called 
upon  to  examine  candidates  for  foreign  missionary  appointment,  will 
bear  in  n.ind  that  the  Board  is  obliged  to  rely  upon  the  careful  exercise 
of  their  prerogative  in  respect  of  doctrinal  soundness  in  order  that 
young  men  who  go  to  the  foreign  field  should  have  a positive  Gospel 
to  meet  the  alert  and  inquiring  minds  of  an  awakening  non-Christian 
world.  Xo  appointment  by  the  Board  will  be  deemed  final  until  the  re- 
ceipt by  the  Board  of  an  official  statement  from  the  Presbytery  to  the 
effect  that  the  candidate’s  examination  has  been  sustarned  and  that  he 
is  commended  to  the  Board  as  doctrinally  qualified  for  appointment. 

“The  Board  directed  that  these  resolutions  be  spread  on  its  records 
and  that  copies  be  sent  to  Stated  Clerks  for  the  information  of  the 
Presbyteries.” 

EDUCATION. 

The  most  serious  defect  of  otir  present  work  is  the  lack  of 
a sufficient  miniher  of  competent  native  ministers,  evangelists, 
teachers  and  phvsicians.  \\  e.  have  a smaller  native  force  in 
proportion  to  our  foreign  force  and  expenditure  than  several 
other  Boards.  W’e  stand  near  the  head  of  the  list  in  number 
of  missionaries  and  amount  of  money,  but  away  down  in  na- 
tive workers.  (Jur  work  cannot  be  properly  done  as  things 
now  are.  It  is  too  largely  dependent  upon  missionaries.  There 


i85 

are  not  enough  of  them  to  do  anything  like  what  needs  to  be 
done,  while  Inrlonghs  bring  the  work  of  some  institutions  al- 
most to  a standstill.  W’e  have  neither  the  men  nor  the  money  for 
reinforcements  large  enough  to  handle  our  great  and  growing 
work  by  missionaries  alone,  or  even  in  chief  part.  Even  if  we 
vlid  have  the  men  and  money,  it  would  not  be  wise  to  make 
everything  depend  upon  foreigners.  The  future  success  of  the 
work  depends  upon  a self-reliant  Native  Church;  but  bow  can 
there  ever  be  such  a Church  unless  it  has  the  right  kind  of  na- 
tive leadership?  It  is  vital  that  we  should  at  once  t..d<e  meas- 
ures to  secure  a larger  native  force.  Pioneer  evangelistic  work 
can  often  be  done  by  untrained  Christians,  but  congregations 
and  schools  recjuire  educated  leaders ; and  we  shall  never  have 
them  unless  we  have  schools  to  develop  them.  The  most  urg- 
ent need  of  the  work  today  therefore  is  a better  equipment  of 
the  institutions  on  which  we  must  depend  for  the  training  of 
native  leaders.  This  is  the  work  of  the  Boards.  The  Native 
Church  can  and  should  take  a rapidly  increasing  share  of  re- 
sponsibility for  direct  evangelization ; but  it  cannot  for  a long 
time  to  come  provide  the  institutions  for  training  its  preachers. 

I therefore  asked  at  each  conference:  “Has  the  Mission  any 
definite  policy  and  method  for  securing  a more  adequate  sup- 
ply of  native  ministers,  evangelists  and  teachers?  Are  our 
schools  sufficiently  emphasizing  this  need?”  Replies  showed 
that  some  Missions  have  worked  out  this  problem  in  an  intel- 
ligent way,  and  that  others  have  not.  We  already  have  a con- 
siderable number  of  boarding  schools,  and  some  colleges,  nor- 
mal schools,  training  schools  for  evangelists  and  theological 
seminaries ; but  a depressingly  large  number  of  academy  and 
college  students  enter  other  callings  than  the  ministry.  Why? 
Let  the  critic  tell  me  why  our  colleges  at  home  are  not  pro- 
ducing more  students  for  the  ministry,  colleges  founded 
by  the  Church  for  the  chief  purpose  of  training  them? 
Why  are  theological  seminaries  and  committees  of  (leneral  As- 
semblies deploring  the  falling  off  in  the  number  of  candidates 
for  the  ministry’  in  a country  where  Cliristianity  is  the  prevail- 
ing religion,  so  that  the  ministry  offers  an  income  and  social 
position  which  are  denied  in  lands  where  Christianity  is  yet  a 
suspected,  alien  faith,  unable  to  off'er  its  ministers  anything 
beyond  direst  poverty  and  often  social  ostracism?  If  a Chris- 
tian youth  in  .America  says  that  he  can  exert  an  influence  for 
Christ  as  a business  man,  a teacher  in  a government  school,  or 
an  official  in  government  .service,  why  should  not  a Christian 
youth  in  Asia  say  this,  and  with  equallv  good  reason  ? 

But  answering  home  critics  does  not  make  foreign  clergy- 
men, and  foreign  clergymen  we  must  have.  W'e  must  pray  for 


them,  remembering  that  God  must  call  them ; but  we  must 
adopt  the  means  which  God  demands  of  us.  To  do  nothing 
ourselves  because  only  God  can  summon  men  to  the  ministry 
would  be  to  take  our  place  beside  the  venerable  fossil  who  said 
to  the  youthful  Carey,  when  he  was  urging  a century  ago  that 
the  Gospel  might  be  sent  to  the  heathen:  "Sit  down,  young 
man ! W’hen  God  wants  the  heathen  converted,  He  will  do 
it  without  your  help.” 

EDUC.tTIOX  IN  j.\p.\x. 

Good  beginnings  have  been  made  in  Japan.  We  have  two 
institutions  for  men:  the  Meiji  Gakuin  in  Tokyo,  which  has 
high  .school,  collegiate  and  theological  courses  with  325  stu- 
dents, in  whose  support  we  unite  with  the  Board  of  Foreign 
Missions  of  the  Reformed  Church:  and  the  Dendo  Do.shikan 
(training  school  for  evangelists)  at  0.saka,  where  about  30 
men  are  being  prepared  for  Christian  work.  We  have  no 
other  boarding  schools  for  boys,  but  the  Dutch  Reformed, 
Gemian  Reformed,  and  Southern  Pre.sbyterian  Missions  have 
such  schools,  so  that  the  Church  of  Christ  receives  the  benefit 
of  their  educational  work  as  well  as  ours.  Two  of  their  insti- 
tutions are  of  college  grade:  Steele  College  at  Nagasaki  (Dutch 
Reformed),  and  Sendai  College  (German  Reformed).  The 
number  of  students  for  the  ministr}-  in  the  various  institutions 
of  the  Presbyterian  and  Reformed  Alissions  has  increased  from 
25  in  1902  to  over  too  in  1910;  an  increase  which  promises 
much  for  the  growth  and  stability  of  the  Church.  The  Church 
of  Christ  has  no  educational  in.stitutions  of  its  own,  except  iMr. 
Uemura's  theological  seminary  in  Tokyo. 

We  have  a larger  number  of  boarding  schools  for  girls.  To- 
kyo has  the  Joshi  Gakuin  with  250  girls;  Osaka  the  W'ilmina 
School  with  254;  Sapporo,  the  Hokusei  Jo  Cakko  with  175; 
Otaru  the  Sieshu  Jo  Cakko  with  50  boarders;  Yamaguchi  the 
Kojo  Jo  Gakuin  with  75.  The  Kanazawa  School  has  been  re- 
vluced  by  temporary  causes  to  too.  These  institutions  are  ad 
mirably  conducted,  have  fair  equipment  and  are  doing  good 
work.  The  Tokyo  and  O.saka  Schools  carry  their  curricula  to 
higher  grades  than  the  other  schools  for  girls,  and  this  arrange- 
ment should  be  continued.  We  cannot  duplicate  expensive 
plants  at  several  points.  The  number  of  girls  who  can  be  ex- 
pected to  go  from  other  boarding  schools  to  these  institutions 
is  not  large,  as  the  distances  in  some  cases  are  considerable ; but 
the  more  local  schools  take  a large  majority  of  the  girls  as  far 
as  they  an.l  their  parents  wish  them  to  go.  The  two  central 
schools  in  Tokyo  and  Osaka  should  be  expected  to  do  our  high- 
er educational  work  for  girls.  They  are  located  in  the  two 


i87 

greatest  cities,  one  in  the  East  Japan  Mission  and  the  other  in 
the  West  Mission. 

wise  policy  will  strengthen  onr  educational  institutions  in 
Japan,  for  they  are  virtually  our  sole  dependence  for  training 
the  kind  of  men  and  women  that  we  want. 

Government  recognition  gives  an  institution  great  prestige 
with  the  Japanese.  In  the  case  of  young  men.  it  renders  ad- 
mission to  the  Imperial  University  easier,  and  after  graduation 
it  opens  avenues  to  that  official  preferment  which  is  much  cov- 
eted. But  this  recognition  is  conditioned  upon  several  require- 
ments. The  plant  and  equipment  must  'be  .satisfactory  to  the 
Government ; the  curriculum  must  be  the  same  as  that  of  Gov- 
ernment schools  of  similar  grade;  and  at  least  two-thirds  of 
the  teachers  must  hold  certificates  from  the  Government  Xor- 
mal  Schools.  The  first  and  second  of  these  conditions  are 
more  easily  met.  but  the  third  presents  practical  vlifficulties. 
The  Government  gives  teachers'  certificates  only  to  those  who 
have  graduated  from  its  own  Normal  Schools.  Our  schools  de- 
sire teachers  who  have  had  Christian  training  in  our  own 
schools,  and  it  is  therefore  difficult  to  secure  the  required  num- 
ber of  certificated  teachers. 

EDUC.XTIOX  I-V  KORE.X. 

The  Korea  Mission  was  late  in  beginning  its  educational 
work.  This  is  partly  because  the  Mission  itself  is  comparative- 
ly new.  The  first  Protestant  missionary  did  not  enter  Korea 
until  a quarter  of  a century  after  the  beginning  of  work  in 
Japan  and  three-quarters  of  a century  after  the  beginning  of 
work  in  China.  Then  the  very  evangelistic  success  of  the  work 
delayed  education.  The  ^Mission  has  been,  from  the  beginning, 
pre-eminently  evangelistic.  Schools  were  not  necessary  to 
secure  a foothold,  as  in  some  other  lands,  and  the  INIission  was 
so  engrossed  by  its  evangelistic  opportunities  that  everything 
else  fell  into  the  background.  There  was,  too,  a period  when 
many  of  the  missionaries  rather  dreaded  the  development  of 
institutions  and  were  disposed  to  permit  them  only  on  a small 
scale.  They  feared  that  large  schools  and  hospitals  would  fos- 
ter the  spirit  of  institutionalism  and  divert  energy  from  preach- 
ing the  Gospel.  Down  to  1900,  the  Mission  did  not  have  a 
single  permanently  established  academy  for  boys  and  only  one 
for  girls. 

I called  attention,  in  my  fir.st  visit  to  Korea  nine  years  ago, 
to  the  danger  which  could  even  then  be  foreseen  and  which 
was  beginning  to  trouble  some  of  the  missionaries.  Thousands 
of  children  in  the  homes  of  believers  were  growing  up  without 
education.  W’e  could  neither  acquiesce  in  this  nor  see  them  go 
to  anti-Christian  schools.  Either  alternative  would  have  jeop- 


ardized  the  permanence  of  the  evangelistic  results  which  were 
being  achieved.  An  illiterate  Church  among  an  emotional  people 
would  be  built  on  sand.  Moreover,  we  needed  Korean  pastors 
to  lead  the  increasing  multitudes  of  Christians. 

Thus  far  the  evangelistic  development  in  Korea  has  been  su- 
perintended almost  wholly  by  missionaries.  In  order  that  there 
might  be  enough  workers  to  handle  the  rapidly  growing  work, 
we  have  built  up  a larger  force  than  we  have  in  any  other  Mis- 
sion. There  are  now  J13  men  and  women  in  our  Korea  Mis- 
sion, a far  greater  number  in  proportion  to  the  population  than 
in  any  other  field  and  more  than  one-ninth  of  our  entire  force 
throughout  the  world.  The  Mission  feels  that  still  further  re- 
inforcement is  imperative.  I cordially  concur;  but  I believe 
that  the  Mission  is  approaching  a rea.sonable  limit,  and  that 
while  some  further  accessions  are  desirable,  there  should  be  a 
larger  concentration  of  future  effort  upon  the  development  of 
a native  ministry.  We  cannot  adopt  the  policy  that  everything 
that  ought  to  be  (’one  in  any  field  must  be  done  by  missionaries. 
\\  e cannot  secure  for  any  Mission  enough  men  and  money  for 
such  a policy,  and  it  would  not  be  for  the  permanent  good  of  the 
Church  even  if  we  could. 

\\  hen  I urge  reasonable  ecpiipment  of  institutions.  I do  not 
mean  the  scale  of  an  American  university,  but  only  that  which 
will  render  efficient  work  possible.  We  need  not  fear  the  in- 
fluence of  such  institutions,  if  we  resolutely  insist  that  they 
shall  not  be  divided  into  two  classes,  religious  and  secular.  All 
should  be  spiritual,  and  there  is  no  valid  reason  why  they  should 
not  be.  There  is  indeed  danger  that  a school,  especially  when 
it  becomes  large  and  flourishing,  will  become  secular  in  spirit. 
Precisely  the  same  danger  confronts  the  Qnirch  when  it  be- 
comes large  and  flourishing.  Prosperity  is  often  debditating  to 
spiritualitv : but  we  cannot  leave  our  sons  and  daughters  in 
illiteracy  for  fear  of  worldliness,  or  disband  our  strong 
churches  lest  they  become  proud  and  self-satisfied.  Strength 
and  devotion  are  not  necessarily  antagonistic,  and  all  small 
things  are  not  pious. 

I svmpathize  with  the  feeling  that  it  is  not  the  primary  mo- 
tive of  mission  Boards  to  maintain  schools  for  non-Christian 
parents  who  want  us  to  give  their  children  a general  education 
without  Christianity.  Xeverthele'ss  we  must  remember  that 
everv  boy  in  Korea  who  gets  an  education  must  get  it  from 
either  the  non-Christian  school  or  the  missionary  school.  If 
we  are  going  to  have  schools  at  all.  we  can,  at  a small  addition- 
al expense,  teach  a larger  number  of  pupils  than  the  local 
Christian  constituencies  are  likelv  to  furnish.  We  should  there- 
fore take  pupils  from  non-Christian  families,  provided  it  is 


189 


distinctly  understood  that  our  schools  are  Christian  and  that 
it  is  our  intention  to  do  everything  in  our  power  to  lead  all  our 
pupils  to  Christ.  A school  conducted  in  this  spirit  may  be  of 
itself  an  evangelistic  agency.  The  dominating  motive  of  our 
educational  work  in  Korea,  however,  and  one  which  should  de- 
termine the  character  and  curricula  of  the  institutions  should  be 
the  training  of  pastors,  evangelists,  teachers  and  the  large  num- 
ber of  laymen  who  are  needed  as  church  officers.  Sunday-school 
teachers,  etc.  The  chief  need  of  the  Mission  today  is  for  well- 
equipped  boarding  and  preparatory  schools  at  the  various  sta- 
tions. and  particularly  a College,  Normal  School,  Theological 
Seminary  and  Medical  College. 

The  Mission  now  clearly  recognizes  the  necessity  for  institu- 
tions which  will  conserve  the  results  of  the  evangelistic  work 
an;l  guarantee  their  permanence,  and  within  the  last  half  dozen 
years  it  has  given  far  greater  attention  to  education.  Few 
other  Missions  today  are  more  thoroughly  alive  to  educational 
needs.  The  Mission  is  making  up  for  the  lateness  of  its  be- 
ginning by  the  vigor  of  its  present  efforts. 

Plans  now  are  fairly  well  outlined.  W’e  have  589  primary 
schools  scattered  all  over  the  country.  iVIost  of  them  are  at 
out-stations  Practically  every  group  of  Christians  in  Korea 
has  a primary  school.  Sometimes  there  is  a separate  building, 
and  sometimes  the  church  building  is  used.  588  of  these  schools 
are  supported  by  the  Korean  Christians  themselves ; an  extra- 
ordinarily encouraging  fact.  The  growth  of  these  .schools  is 
indicated  by  the  fact  that  in  1902  there  were  only  63,  with  845 
boys  and  148  girls;  whereas  now  there  are  589  with  10,916 
boys  and  2,511  girls.  The  primary  schools  are  tributary  to  the  /> 

boarding  or  high  .schools,  which  are  located  at  the  stations.  The 
theory  is  that  each  station  .shall  have  a boarding  school  for  boys 
and  another  for  girls.  This  plan  has  been  realized  at  the  older 
and  larger  stations,  and  should  be  carried  out  at  the  others  as 
resources  become  available. 

Coming  to  details,  we  have  four  station  academies  for  boys. 

The  oldest  is  at  Pyeng  Yang,  which  began  academic  work  pro- 
per in  1900.  It  represents  a union  of  Presbyterians  and  Meth- 
odists, has  one  building  erected  in  1901,  and  an  enrollment  of 
366  boys.  It  has  already  graduated  92.  The  second,  if  we 
except  an  earlier  one  which  was  closed,  was  opened  in  1901  at 
Seoul,  and  is  known  as  the  John  D.  Wells  Training  School  for 
Christian  Workers,  the  funds  for  the  one  substantial  building, 
erected  in  1906,  having  been  contributed  by  the  relatives  and 
friends  of  the  late  President  of  the  Board,  the  Rev.  Dr.  John 
D.  Wells.  Fifteen  have  been  graduated  and  the  enrollment  last 
year  was  210.  The  third  academy  is  at  Taiku  and  is  less  than 


four  years  old  ( 1906).  It  has  78  students  and  one  good  build- 
ing, which  was  erected  in  1908  with  funds  chiefly  given  by  the 
family  of  the  Rev.  J.  E.  Adams.  The  fourth  is  at  Syen  Chyun. 
It  also  is  less  than  four  years  old.  having  been  opened  in  1906. 
It  had  89  pupils  last  year  and  it  has  graduated  nine.  Mrs.  Hugh 
O’Neil,  of  New  York,  has  generously  provided  an  excellent 
plant  for  this  school  in-memory  of  her  son,  Hugh  O’Neil,  Jr., 
after  whom  the  institute  is  named.  It  is  to  be  conducted  with 
larger  reference  to  industrial  conditions  than  any  other  of  our 
schools  in  Korea.  There  is  a farm  in  connection  with  the  insti- 
tution and  a promising  development  is  under  way. 

W’e  have  four  academies  for  girls.  The  oldest,  founded  in 
1889,  is  ill  Seoul.  It  has  an  enrollment  of  80  and  has  graduated 
15.  This  has  a good  location  but  only  one  permanent  building. 
The  other  buildings  are  old,  dilapidated  native  structures,  little 
more  than  hovels.  A friend  has  pledged  $10,000  for  a new 
building  and  this  generous  sum  will  provide  an  excellent  plant. 
The  second  is  in  Pyeng  Yang,  and  is  conducted  as  a union  insti- 
tution with  the  INIethodists.  It  dates  from  1905  and  has  an 
enrollment  of  107.  Five  have  been  graduated.  There  is  no 
permanent  building,  the  school  occupying  the  old  hospital  quar- 
ters— a temporary  makeshift.  Another  friend  proposes  to 
make  a gift  which  will  supply  this  great  need.  The  third 
is  in  vSyen  Chyun.  It  was  not  opened  till  1906.  It  has  33  pu- 
pils and  no  plant ; the  sessions  being  held  in  temporary  quar- 
ters. The  fourth  is  in  Fusan.  This  building  is  not  large,  but 
it  is  the  best  equipped  girls’  school  building  that  we  have  in 
Korea,  the  gift  of  Air.  L.  H.  Severance  and  Mr.  D.  B.  Gamble. 
The  attendance  this  year  is  small  on  account  of  temporary  con- 
ditions. 

Our  educational  system  in  Korea  culminates  in  a College  in 
Pyeng  Yang,  jointlv  supported  by  Presbyterians  and  Alethod- 
ists : a Theological  Seminary,  also  in  Pyeng  Yang ; and  a Aledi- 
cal  College  in  Seoul,  d'he  College  in  Pyeng  Yang  was  opened  in 
1906  and  there  are  17  men  in  the  regular  college  course ; but  the 
number  will  rapidlv  increase  as  the  auxiliary  academies  gradu- 
ate their  students.  The  College  has  a site  but  no  separate  build- 
ing, the  academy  building  being  used  temporarily.  A main 
building  has  been  started  and  Airs.  Cyrus  AIcCormick,  of  Chi- 
cago, has  just  given  $5,000  for  dormitories.  There  was  at 
first  some  question  whether  the  College  should  be  developed  at 
Seoul  or  at  Pyeng  Yang,  or  whether  there  should  be  two  insti- 
tutions, one  in  each  city.  It  is  now  clear  that  in  such  a com- 
paratively small  country  as  Korea  and  with  easy  railway  com- 
munication, we  should  not  attempt  two  colleges,  at  least  until 
one  has  been  well  equipped.  That  College  should  be  at  Pyeng 


I9I 

Yang.  Temptations  and  distractions  here  are  fewer  than  in 
the  capital.  The  missionary  community  and  the  Korean  Church 
are  the  dominant  influences,  so  that  it  is  easy  to  keep  young 
men  from  the  country  towns  in  a bracing  Christian  atmosphere. 
This  is  not  possible  in  Seoul,  the  political  center  of  the  country. 
While  the  John  D.  Wells  Training  School  for  Christian  Work- 
ers is  a very  important  institution  and  should  magnify  its  work 
and  opportunity,  it  should  not  attempt  the  higher  collegiate 
grades  but  should  send  to  Pyeng  Yang  such  of  its  graduates  as 
desire  collegiate  training. 

The  Theological  Seminary  represents  a union  of  the  four 
Presbyterian  bodies  in  Korea — Southern  Presbyterian,  Austra- 
lian Presbyterian,  Canadian  Presbyterian  and  our  own.  It  has 
an  enrollment  of  138  students,  a remarkable  number  for  such  a 
young  institution.  It  has  already  graduated  15  men.  Mrs. 
Cyrus  McCormick  is  generously  providing  a main  building  and 
a dormitory. 

The  Medical  College  has  made  a fine  start  and  graduated 
seven  men  in  1908.  There  are  23  students  now  in  training,  and 
the  additional  plant  which  has  been  pledged  by  a generous 
friend,  who  wishes  his  name  withheld,  will  doubtless  attract  a 
larger  number  of  students  in  the  near  future.  A Training 
School  for  Nurses  is  conducted  in  connection  with  the  College 
and  the  Severance  Hospital  adjoining.  Nine  young  women  are 
under  instruction. 

In  addition  to  this  educational  system,  but  as  a part  of  it, 
reference  should  be  made  to  the  normal  schools  and  Bible  in- 
stitutes at  several  stations,  referred  to  in  a preceding  section  of 
this  report. 

The  Mission  should  make  every  effort  to  co-ordinate  the 
country  primary  schools  with  the  station  boarding  schools,  and 
to  co-ordinate  the  station  boarding  schools  with  the  Pyeng 
Yang  College  and  the  related  theological  and  medical  schools, 
so  that  the  educational  policy  of  the  Mission  will  be  a connected 
whole,  each  grade  leading  to  the  one  above  it. 

It  is  vital  that  this  educational  scheme  should  be  energetically 
carried  out.  The  reasons  which  I urged  in  my  leport  on  my 
first  visit  to  Korea  nine  years  ago  are  intensified  today.  A great 
Christian  constituency  has  been  gathered.  The  number  of  con- 
gregations has  become  so  numerous  that  it  is  physically  im- 
possible for  the  missionaries  to  give  them  proper  oversight. 
Native  ministers  for  these  congregations  are  indispensable,  and 
it  is  almost  equally  indispensable  that  the  right  kind  of  teachers 
should  be  selected  for  the  hundreds  of  primary  schools  which 
are  steadily  growing  in  size  and  influence.  The  time  has  come 
M 


192 


when  considerable  sums  of  money  are  urgently  needed  for 
educational  equipment  in  Korea. 

The  educational  problem  in  Korea  is  naturally  affected  by  the 
educational  plans  of  the  Japanese.  They  have  established  pub- 
lic schools  in  many  parts  of  the  country.  The  best  equipped 
of  these  are  for  Japanese  children,  but  schools  for  Koreans 
have  also  been  opened.  Most  of  the  latter  thus  far  do  little 
more  than  teach  the  Japanese  language,  and  they  are  not  very 
popular  with  the  Koreans.  The  text-books  prepared  by  the 
Japanese  for  the  Korean  primary  schools  are  excellent,  better 
indeed  than  those  prepared  by  the  Koreans  ; but  no  historical 
or  geographical  text-books  have  yet  been  issued.  The  Koreans 
do  not  like  the  Japanese  books,  and  are  irritated  because  the 
Japanese  have  forbidden  certain  Korean  books  which  the  peo- 
ple liked.  Three  Japanese  institutions,  however,  are  attracting 
considerable  numbers  of  Koreans  and  are  doing  excellent  work. 
These  are  the  Normal  School  and  Medical  College  in  Seoul  and 
the  model  farm  at  Sui-won,  about  thirty  miles  South  of  Seoul.  I 
visited  the  two  former  institutions  and  was  impressed  by  the 
excellence  of  their  equipment.  The  President  of  the  Normal 
School  is  a Korean,  but  the  financial  manager  is  a Japanese. 
The  Medical  College  staff,  of  course,  is  Japanese,  as  there  are 
not  yet  enough  trained  Korean  physicians  and  surgeons  to 
man  such  an  institution.  The  public  Hospital  adjoining  the 
Medical  College  is  for  Koreans  and  Japanese  alike.  The  plant 
is  a splendid  one  and  would  do  credit  to  a large  American  city. 
The  plans  of  the  Japanese  contemplate  several  provincial  indus- 
trial and  agricultural  schools. 

The  laws  on  education,  which  the  Japanese  have  formulated, 
are  comprehensive.  They  provide  among  other  things  for 
registration  and  for  Government  censorship  of  text-books. 
This  law  applies  to  schools  which  are  built  and  supported  by 
Koreans.  It  is  a mooted  question  whether  the  law  applies  to 
boarding  schools  built  by  foreign  money,  on  foreign  ground 
and  conducted  by  foreigners.  It  is  possible  that  we  might  suc- 
ceed in  having  our  institutions  exempted  under  the  extra-terri- 
torial law ; but  I was  glad  to  learn  that  the  missionaries  were 
strongly  opposed  to  such  an  effort.  They  feel  that  it  would 
simply  be  a legal  subterfuge  which  would  arouse  ill  feeling. 
We  must,  of  course,  guard  our  rights ; but  we  need  not  assume 
that  the  Japanese  are  inimical  to  them.  The  last  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  Mission  adopted  a report  on  this  subject  from  which 
I quote  the  following  extracts  : 

“It  was  decided  that,  in  accord  with  the  wish  of  the  Government,  our 
schools  should  apply  for  Government  permits;  Mr.  Sammons,  the 
American  Consul-General,  in  our  behalf  receiving  from  the  Government 
assurances  that  in  so  registering  there  should  be;  First — Freedom  of 
Christian  religious  teaching  in  schools  thus  registered ; Second — Mutual 


193 


co-operation  in  continuing-  established  Christian  school  work ; Third — 
That  Christian  schools  and  Christian  school  graduates  are  to  receive 
the  recognition  and  benefits  enjoyed  by  Government  schools,  thus  avoid- 
ing discrimination. 

"A  great  many  schools  have  received  their  permits.  In  many  cases 
the  missionary  was  entered  as  the  “Kyo  Chang,”  or  patron  of  the  school, 
where  there  is  as  yet  no  Korean  , pastor  or  ordained  elder,  who  it  was 
thought  might  better  act  as  patron.  In  granting  the  permits  the  Gov- 
ernment has  taken  exception  to  certain  books,  which  were  in  the  curri- 
culum and  made  some  suggestions  as  to  rules. 

"It  is  not  yet  clearly  defined  as  to  what  is  the  attitude  of  the  Gov- 
ernment toward  the  management  of  Christian  schools;  but  there  seems 
to  be  good  reason  to  infer  that  in  the  matter  of  text^books  we  shall  be 
given  a hearing  on  the  question  of  the  suitability  or  non-suitability  of 
books  which  we  may  wish  to  use.” 

The  Mission  has  appointed  a committee  of  three  experienced 
missionaries  (Dr.  Underwood,  Dr.  Gale  and  Mr.  Adams)  to 
confer  with  the  Japanese  authorities  on  this  subject.  I accom- 
panied the  Committee  on  a call  to  the  Japanese  Minister  of 
Education.  He  received  us  very  pleasantly  and  we  had  a sat- 
isfactory interview.  Tact  and  wisdom  will  be  called  for  in 
working  out  the  necessary  readjustments  under  the  new  laws; 
but  missionaries  and  Japanese  officials  appear  to  be  working 
harmoniously  together  and  the  outcome  will  doubtless  be  mut- 
ually satisfactory. 

EDUCATION  IN  CHINA. 

The  educational  problem  in  China  is,  of  course,  vaster  than 
that  in  Japan  and  Korea,  partly  because  the  population  is  vast- 
er, and  partly  because  historic  conditions  make  the  problem 
more  vital. 

My  visit  has  not  changed  but  has  rather  intensified  the  opin- 
ion which  I expressed  a year  ago,  that  it  would  be  impossible 
to  exaggerate  the  magnitude  of  the  transformation  that  is  tak- 
ing place  in  China  and  the  pressing  importance  of  providing 
Christian  leadership  for  it.  The  lines  along  which  special  as- 
sistance is  most  imperative  are  educational.  The  Boards  have 
urgent  need  of  a large  increase  in  their  resources  if  they,  to- 
gether with  the  growing  Chinese  Churches,  are  properly  to 
care  for  the  evangelistic  work  and  for  the  primary  schools 
which  must  be  multiplied.  But  if  they  are  given  this  increase, 
they  can  measurably  provide  for  these  phases  of  the  work. 
But  the  Boards  and  the  Chinese  Churches,  without  special 
emergency  assistance,  cannot  adequately  finance  the  institu- 
tions of  higher  learning  that  are  required  to  supply  the  Chris- 
tian preachers,  teachers  and  physicians  that  are  imperatively 
needed.  A statesmanlike  policy  will  extend  every  possible  aid 
to  the  effort  to  produce  them.  The  Chinese  can  never  be  per- 
manently led  from  the  outside.  They  must  be  led  by  their  own 


194 


people.  Our  province  is  to  see  that  these  men  combine  sound 
training  and  Christian  character. 

The  higher  institutions  should,  as  far  as  practicable,  be  union 
institutions.  It  would  be  wasteful  to  multiply  denominational 
colleges.  The  Boards,  acting  separately,  could  not  properly 
equip  the  necessary  institutions,  and  the  inevitable  result  of  the 
effort  to  do  so  would  be  a lot  of  small  and  struggling  institu- 
tions, which  would  duplicate  one  another’s  work,  overlap  one 
another’s  territory,  perpetuate  sectarian  rivalries,  and  fail  to 
command  the  respect  of  either  Chinese  or  Americans.  The 
day  for  that  sort  of  denominationalism  has  passed.  Union  in 
theological  training  presents  greater  difficulties ; but  the  suc- 
cessful union  of  American  Presbyterians  and  American  and 
English  Congregationalists  in  the  Theological  Seminary  in  Pe- 
king, and  of  American  Presbyterians  and  English  Baptists  in 
Tsing-chou-fu  show  that  united  effort  even  in  this  field  is  en- 
tirely practicable. 

I believe  that  the  colleges  which  will  be  most  influential 
should  give  thorough  instruction  in  the  Chinese  language,  with 
classes  in  modern  languages,  particularly  English ; that  the 
foreign  professors  should  represent  the  highest  type  of  ability, 
culture  and  Christian  character ; that  they  should  learn  the 
Chinese  language ; and  endeavor  tactfulE  to  adapt  themselves 
to  the  Chinese  mind  and  character. 

That  the  institutions  should  be  vitally  Christian  is  evident. 
China  needs  financial  help  in  the  direction  of  a purely  secular 
education  less  than  any  other  nation  in  the  world.  The  Chi- 
nese have  exalted  scholarship  for  more  than  2,000  years.  They 
are  ready  to  make  any  sacrifices  for  the  sake  of  learning.  I 
have  already  referred  to  the  Imperial  decrees  on  this  subject. 
The  Government  has  undertaken  on  a vast  scale  the  recon- 
struction of  China’s  historic  educational  system.  The  plan 
contemplates  a university  at  every  provincial  capital,  numbers 
of  normal  and  other  technical  and  professional  schools 
and  countless  auxiliary  common  schools.  An  Imperial  Edict 
of  1908  reads : “All  boys  over  eight  years  of  age  must  go  to 
school,  or  their  parents  or  relatives  will  be  punished.  If  they 
have  no  relatives,  the  officials  will  be  held  responsible  for  their 
education.”  An  Imperial  Board  of  Education  was  established 
in  1905  and  the  Vice-President,  a fine  type  of  a Chinese  gentle- 
man, told  me  that  there  are  now  30,000  schools  of  various 
grades  under  the  care  of  the  Board.  Engineering  courses  are 
given  at  the  following  institutions : Imperial  Polytechnic  Insti- 
tute at  Shanghai ; Imperial  University  of  Shan-si  at  Tai-yuan- 
fu;  Engineering  and  Mining  College  at  Tang-shan;  and  Impe- 
rial Pei-yang  University  at  Tien-tsin. 


195 


I visited  a number  of  the  new  institutions  and  can  testify  to 
the  elaborateness  of  their  equipment.  Grounds  are  spacious, 
buildings  are  numerous  and  expensive,  and  apparatus  is 
abundant. 

The  chief  difficulty  at  present  is  that,  with  comparatively  few 
exceptions,  the  teachers  are  not  educators  but  office-holders. 
Many  of  them  know  little  and  care  less  about  school  work. 
Positions  are  to  them  simply  the  first  rounds  on  the  ladder  of 
official  preferment.  I heard  of  several  principals  and  presi- 
dents who  seldom  visit  the  schools  of  which  they  are  supposed 
to  be  the  executive  heads.  Expensive  apparatus  frequently  lies 
scattered  and  neglected.  I take  from  my  note  books  the  fol- 
lowing (lata,  which  I obtained  at  one  prominent  provincial  uni- 
versity and  which  will  illustrate  both  the  scale  and  the  methods 
of  these  institutions:  Courses  and  students:  literary.  107  stu- 
dents; scientific  69;  preparatory  92;  total  268.  Faculty,  three 
foreign  and  ten  Chinese  professors.  Salaries  of  Chinese  pro- 
fessors range  from  128  taels  a month  to  300,  in  addition  to 
free  quarters,  fuel  and  light.  Several  of  the  Chinese  profes- 
sors hold  other  salaried  Government  positions  at  the  same 
time.  Each  student  receives  free  tuition,  food,  uniform  and 
one  tael  a month  for  pocket  money.  Buildings  are  numerous 
and  excellent,  including  administration  hall,  recitation  build- 
ings, Confucian  Temple,  Chinese  library,  English  library,  drill 
shed,  two  armories,  museum,  chemical  and  physical  laboratory, 
observatory,  waterworks,  electric  light  plant,  professors’  resi- 
dences, and  14  rows  of  dormitories,  each  having  14  rooms  de- 
signed for  two  students  each.  Three  servants  care  for  each 
row.  Military  drill  compulsory ; Mauser  rifles  furnished. 
Languages : Chinese,  English  and  German ; German  about  to 
be  discontinued ; all  science  and  mathematics  hereafter  to  be 
taught  in  English.  Foreign  text-books:  Wentworth’s  Series  of 
Mathematics,  Steele’s  Series  in  Chemistry  and  Physics.  My- 
ers’ and  Renouf’s  General  Histories,  Tenney’s  and  Nesfield’s 
Grammars,  Longman’s  Geography.  Harper’s,  Cyr’s  and  Samp- 
son’s Readers,  Lucht’s  Series  in  German.  Faculty  meetings 
none,  except  one  at  the  beginning  of  a term  to  arrange  studies. 
Xo  attempt  at  mutual  advice  or  co-operation.  Water  pumped 
by  electric  motor  from  well  over  south  wall  into  water  tank 
under  observatory  building;  carried  in  pipes  to  all  buildings 
and  could  be  taken  to  foreign  professors’  houses  were  the 
pipes  not  out  of  order  and  never  repaired.  Two  posts  for  arc 
lamps  in  front  of  pavilion  and  ponds;  four  of  these  lamps 
lying  in  dust,  ready  for  destruction.  No  water  goes  into  ponds 
because  pipes  out  of  order.  Whole  building  suffering  from 
want  of  repair ; “no  funds,’’  says  Director.  Large  stock  of  elec- 

N 


196 


trical  apparatus ; parts  missing ; telescopes  costing  $900  gold : 
most  of  valuable  lenses  missing.  Half  a dozen  battery  motor 
fans,  complete  outfit  for  surveying  (theodolites,  sextants,  etc.), 
drill  apparatus  (single-sticks,  dumb  bells,  hocke  y sticks  and 
balls),  tennis  apparatus,  etc.,  all  more  or  less  unused  and  going 
to  waste.  Dynamo  and  water-works,  etc.,  all  second-hand ; put 
in  by  German  firm.  “Squeeze.”  said  to  have  been  paid  down  in 
hard  cash  before  beginning,  taels  2.000. 

All  Government  institutions  are  not  conducted  as  loosely  as 
this  one.  A generation  ago  the  cry  of  “too  much  politics”  wa:> 
frequently  heard  in  connection  with  the  public  school  system  in 
the  United  States.  China  needs  teachers,  not  office  holders,  in 
her  educational  institutions.  She  will  get  them  in  time.  Here 
is  a point  at  which  we  can  help  through  our  mission  colleges. 
The  superior  men  whom  we  train  are  in  demand.  The  Gov- 
ernment is  beginning  to  recognize  the  defects  of  its  sy.stem. 
Picked  men  are  sent  from  time  to  time  to  study  in  the  Uni- 
versities of  Japan.  Europe  and  America.  The  portion  of  the 
indemnity  for  the  P>oxer  Uprising,  which  was  remitted  by  the 
United  States  Government,  is  being  used  by  the  Chinese  Gov- 
ernment to  send  one  hundred  students  to  the  United  States 
each  year  for  four  years  and  after  that  fifty  students  a year. 
A Director  in  \^'ashington  is  charged  with  the  oversight  of 
these  men.  The  latest  move  is  toward  the  establishment  near 
Peking  of  a Government  School  for  500  young  men  drawn 
from  all  parts  of  the  Empire.  Instruction  will  be  in  English, 
and  students  who  are  to  be  sent  to  England  and  America  will 
be  chosen  from  this  school. 

The  German  Government  at  Tsing-tau  has  established  a Col- 
lege in  co-operation  with  the  Chinese  Government.  It  has  do- 
nated a noble  tract  of  land  overlooking  the  bay ; the  donation 
including  two  large  and  expensive  buildings  which  were  con- 
structed for  marine  barracks.  The  German  Government  has 
made  a grant  of  $150,000  gold  for  equipment  and  has  voted 
$37,500  gold  annually  for  maintenance.  The  Chinese  Gov- 
ernment has  also  made  a grant.  The  College  was  formally 
opened  November  ist.  1909.  The  number  of  students  is  nat- 
urally small,  as  the  College  has  been  open  only  a short  time ; 
but  the  liberal  financial  support  and  the  prestige  of  recognition 
by  both  the  Chinese  and  German  Governments  will  no  doubt 
attract  many  young  men.  An  imposing  new  building  has  al- 
ready been  begun,  and  it  is  evident  that  the  institution  is  to  be 
equipped  on  a lavish  scale.  The  College  may  make  our  mis- 
sion educational  work  in  this  part  of  the  Province  more  diffi- 
cult. The  Chinese,  however,  do  not  like  the  Germans,  and  may 


197 


prefer  an  institution  which  is  managed  by  Americans,  even 
though  its  equipment  is  not  so  elaborate. 

We  must  do  good  work  to  meet  this  competition.  Fortun- 
ately. our  Shantung  Christian  University  is  doing  as  high 
a grade  of  scholarly  work  as  any  institution  in  all  Asia,  and  it 
need  not  fear  comparison  with  the  new  German-Chinese  Col- 
lege. Any  number  of  purely  secular  colleges  cannot  remove 
our  responsibility  for  maintaining  Christian  colleges.  They 
can  only  increase  our  responsibility  for  giving  them  adequate 
equipment.  Government  universities  cannot  accommodate  a 
tithe  of  the  young  men  who  are  seeking  an  education.  They 
seldom  have  accommodations  for  more  than  500  students,  very 
few  for  1,000.  Admission,  too,  is  usually  on  the  recommen- 
dation of  local  magistrates  in  the  various  hsiens  (counties)  of 
the  Province  in  which  the  university  is  located,  and  the  month- 
ly worship  of  the  tablet  of  Confucius  is  obligatory.  Whether 
this  is  really  worship  in  an  idolatrous  sense  is  di.sputed  only 
by  those  who  do  not  know  what  it  is.  The  result  is  that  stu- 
dents of  the  provincial  universities  are  chiefly  sons  of  officials 
and  “gentry."  that  a Christian  youth  has  slender  chance  to 
get  in,  and  that  if  he  does  succeed  in  gaining  admittance,  he 
must  worship  the  tablet  of  Confucius  or  leave. 

It  appears  clear  China  will  finance  her  own  Government 
educational  system.  Dr.  Timothy  Richard,  of  Shanghai,  says 
that  “the  various  \’icefoys  and  the  Peking  P>oard  of  Education, 
amid  many  difficulties  and  in  spite  of  many  obstructionists,  are 
making  fair  progress  with  the  work  of  introducing  the  new 
learning.  Some  of  the  old  Examination  Halls,  covering  acres 
in  extent,  have  been  pulled  down  to  give  place  to  large  Nor- 
mal Schools,  and  the  rest  are  now  disused  and  will  follow  in 
due  time."  Well-equipped  educational  institutions  are  not  de- 
veloped in  a decade  anywhere,  and  China  will  probably  move 
more  rapidly  than  England  and  America  did  at  the  corres 
ponding  period  of  their  development. 

Now  for  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  to  send  over 
money  to  aid  in  equipping  these  colleges,  which  are  as  a rule 
anti-Christian  or  at  best  non-Christian,  or  for  them  to  found 
universities  whose  professors  are  indifferent  or  silent  on  morai 
issues,  would  not  be  helping  China  where  she  most  needs  help. 
\\  hat  China  needs  is  a Christian  education,  and  any  assistance 
from  Europe  and  America  should  be  given  with  the  distinct 
understanding  that  the  institutions  are  to  be  openly  and  strong- 
ly religious. 

All  friends  of  China  are  agreed  that  the  situation  calls  for 
the  be.st  education  pervaded  by  the  Christian  spirit.  Some, 
however,  hold  that  the  question  should  be  dealt  with  as  one  of 


198 


education  and  not  of  missions,  that  education  should  not  be  re- 
garded as  an  adjunct  of  religion,  but  that  religion  should  be 
deemed  an  adjunct  of  education.  This  is  a confusion  of  ideas 
or  a misunderstanding  of  tliQ  missionary  enterprise.  Missonary 
work,  as  conducted  today,  includes  the  best  education.  It  is  not 
solely  evangelism  and  it  never  has  been.  From  the  beginning, 
it  has  built  both  churches  and  schools.  Missionaries  have  been 
not  only  preachers  but  teachers,  writers  and  physicians.  The 
highest  education  in  China  is  missionarv  education,  and  the 
Shantung  Christian  University  is  sending  out  men  who  are  as 
well  ccjuipped  educationally  as  the  graduates  of  the  best  uni- 
versities in  America.  An  effort  to  divorce  education  from  mis- 
^ions  in  Asia  would  be  an  effort  to  divorce  it  from  Christ,  for 
missions  is  simply  the  effort  to  make  Christ  known  and  to  cre- 
ate that  intelligence  and  character  which  Christ  develops.  Intel- 
lectual culture,  when  sought  as  an  end  in  itself  apart  from 
Christ,  has  never  produced  the  type  of  character  which  the 
world  needs,  and  it  would  not  do  so  in  China.  A college  in 
Europe  or  America  may  make  Christianity  incidental  and  still 
turn  out  men  of  Christian  character,  for  many  of  its  students 
are  Christians  when  the)’  come  to  it.  and  it  is  surrounded  by 
churches  and  Christian  homes  which  can  supply  in  large  meas- 
ure the  influences  needed.  In  China,  however,  a college  is  in 
the  midst  of  non-Christian  people.  Churches  and  Christian 
people  are  comparatively  few.  Lines  are  sharply  drawn,  and 
every  foreign  institution  is  for  or  against  Christ.  A college 
in  such  an  environment  cannot  maintain  a neutral  attitude.  Xor 
will  it  serve  to  leave  Christianity  out  of  the  University  with  the 
idea  that  it  be  adequately  presented  in  the  auxiliary  colleges 
which  are  under  denominational  control.  This  is  tenable  ground 
onlv  on  the  assumption  that  Christian  teaching  cannot  be  civen 
without  denominational  friction.  The  successful  union  of  half 
a dozen  denominations  in  educational  work  in  China  today 
proves  the  fallacy  of  the  supposition.  Moreover  the  university 
spirit  will  inevitably  dominate  the  auxiliary  colleges,  and  if 
Christ  is  ignored  in  the  greater.  He  will  be  in  the  less. 

I would  not  take  a narrow  view  of  human  progress. 
I heartilv  recognize  that  all  truth  is  God  s and  that  all 
inculcation  of  truth  of  whatever  kind  ministers  to  the  growth 
of  His  Kingdom.  I am  convinced,  nevertheless,  that  the  edu- 
cation which  is  to  accomplish  the  largest  and  most  enduring 
results  must  rest  upon  Christian  principle  and  issue  in  Chris- 
tian character.  This  position  undoubtedly  represents  the  opin- 
ion of  the  4.000  Protestant  missionaries  in  China.  They  are 
anxious  that  China  should  make  the  truest  national  progress, 
and  believe  that  the  springs  of  such  progress  can  only  be  found 


199 


in  the  Christian  religion  and  an  education  which  is  pervaded 
by  it.  Prompt  action  in  enlarging  the  facilities  of  mission  in- 
stitutions will  enable  us  to  give  China  in  this  critical  period  of 
transition  a body  of  trained  Christian  leaders  who  may  mould 
the  characters  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  Chinese  young  men. 

The  desired  ends  can  best  be  secured  by  doing  (he  work,  for 
the  present  at  least,  through  the  Boards  and  Universities’  Mis- 
sions of  Europe  and  xA.merica  and  the  missionaries  whom  they 
are  sending.  These  agencies  have  been  constituted  expressly 
for  the  administration  of  funds  and  the  supervision  of  work 
on  the  foreign  field.  They  have  special  facilities  for  this  task 
in  their  organization,  their  experience,  and  their  expert  knowl- 
edge of  the  situation.  Their  missionaries  and  teachers  are  the 
main  dependence  for  carrying  out  any  educational  plan  in 
China,  since  they  are,  with  few  exceptions,  practically  the  only 
body  of  foreigners  in  the  Empire  who  possess  the  requisite 
training  and  knowledge  of  Chinese  language  and  customs. 
Union  enterprises  can  be  and  are  being  conducted  through  the 
Boards  of  the  Christian  Churches.  Indeed,  the  Boards  and 
their  missionaries  have  taken  more  advanced  ground  and  have 
done  more  to  show  the  practicability  of  real  unity  and  co-oper- 
ation than  any  other  agencies.  They  have  shown  an  eager  de- 
sire to  co-operate  with  one  another  and  to  promote  joint  effort 
wherever  practicable.  Union  institutions  are  actually  in  opera- 
tion in  China,  founded  and  maintained  by  Mission  Boards  and 
conducted  by  their  missionaries. 

From  the  viewpoint  of  this  discussion,  such  institutions  as 
the  Canton  Christian  College  and  the  educational  missions  of 
Yale  and  other  Universities  are  in  accord  with  the  objects  of 
the  Boards  They  are  conducted  by  Christian  men  who  are 
actuated  by  Christian  motives.  They  are  necessarily  undenom- 
inational, because  they  appeal  to  a distinct  constituency  which 
includes  members  of  various  churches.  ^Missionaries  are  in  cor- 
dial sympathy  with  this  extension  of  university  work  and  hail 
it  as  powerful  reinforcement. 

There  is  now  in  China  a considerable  number  of  institutions 
of  higher  education.  Dr.  James  S.  Dennis,  in  his  Centennial 
Survey  of  Foreign  ^Missions  published  in  1900,  listed  13  univer- 
sities and  colleges,  32  medical  schools  and  schools  for  nurses, 
and  68  theological  and  training  schools.  Some  of  these  are 
classes  rather  than  institutions ; but  the  number  that  may  rea- 
sonably be  classed  as  institutions  is  not  small  and  it  is  larger 
now  than  it  was  in  1900.  Dr.  Hawks  Pott  says  that  today  700 
missionaries  give  all  or  the  larger  part  of  their  time  to  teach- 
ing; that  there  are  1,500  primary  schools  with  30,000  pupils; 
that  boarding  schools  for  boys  and  girls  are  teaching  12,000 


students ; and  that  at  least  20  institutions  have  attained  college 
rank,  a few  of  them  having  taken  the  name  of  universities. 
These  institutions  are  located  at  strategic  points  and  are  under 
the  guidance  of  able  and  experienced  men  who  understand 
China  and  her  language  and  people.  The  equipment  is  far 
from  satisfactory.  Some  of  them  have  a fair  plant  and  staff, 
as  compared  with  the  average  missionary  college ; but  as  com- 
pared with  institutions  at  home,  the  best  endowed  colleges  in 
China  are  extremely  piodest,  while  the  majority  are  poorly 
equipped.  A sound  policy  would  give  these  institutions  a more 
adequate  equipment  and  teaching  staff.  While  it  will  undoubt- 
edly be  necessary  in  the  future  to  establish  some  new  institu- 
tions, the  wise  course,  for  the  present  at  least,  would  be  to 
co-operate  with  the  institutions  which  are  now  at  work.  Any 
new  institutions  should  either  be  an  extension  or  grouping  of 
present  colleges,  or  be  fouu-.led  in  consultation  with  them. 

There  has  been  much  di.scussion  whether  there  should  be  one 
great  central  university  for  the  whole  of  China,  or  several  uni- 
versities distributed  over  the  country.  This  question  was  de- 
bated at  length  at  the  Shanghai  Conference  of  1907,  and  mis- 
sionaries are  still  divided  about  it.  As  far  as  I could  learn,  a 
large  majority  favor  the  second  plan.  1 certainly  do.  China 
is  so  large  geographically,  its  population  is  so  enormous,  the 
means  of  communication  are  so  inadequate,  the  spoken  dialects 
are  so  different,  and  the  lack  of  national  unity  is  so  manifest, 
that  one  might  as  well  talk  of  one  university  for  all  Europe,  as 
one  university  for  all  China.  It  seems  to  me  that  a wise  policy 
would  recognize  the  strategic  value  of  the  following  centers 
where  intsitutions  are  already  established : 

1.  Province  of  Chih-li  (population  20,937,000),  where 
there  are  now  the  Peking  Cniversity  of  the  Methodist  Board, 
and  the  .\orth  China  Union  Colleges,  the  latter  representing  a 
union  of  our  Board,  the  .American  Board  and  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society. 

2.  Province  of  Shantung  ( 38,247,000) , where  we  have  the 
Shantung  Christian  University  ( Presbyterian  and  English 
Baptist ) with  its  large  .Arts  College  at  \Vei-hsien,  Theological 
Seminary  and  Normal  School  at  Tsing-chou-fu  and  Aledical 
College  at  Tsinan-fu. 

3.  Province  of  Shan-si  ( 12,200,456),  where  Oberlin  College 
has  started  an  academy  at  Tai-yuen  which  is  expected  to  devel- 
op into  a college. 

4.  Provinces  of  Kiang-su  (13,980,235),  and  Ngan-kwei 
(23,670,314).  St.  John’s  College  (.American  FTotestant  Epis- 
copal) and  the  Baptist  College  at  Shanghai,  Nanking  Christian 
University  (^in  which  we  unite  with  the  Alethodists,  Disciples 


201 


and  Friends'),  and  the  Southern  ^fethodist  College  at  Soo-chon, 
are  all  in  the  former  Province. 

5.  Province  of  Che-kiang  (11,580,692),  where  we  have  our 
Hang-chou  College. 

6.  Provinces  of  Hupeh  (35,280,685)  and  Kiang-si  (26,532,- 
125),  where  the  Oxford-Cambridge  Committee  has  selected 
Hankow  as  the  site  for  its  new  University;  Boone  University 
( American  Protestant  Episcopal ) at  Wu-chang,  already  well 
established,  and  Criffith  John  College  (English  Congregation- 
al ) at  Hankow  are  to  be  co-ordinated  with  the  Oxford-Cam- 
bridge University. 

7.  Province  of  Hunan  (22,169,673),  where  Yale  Univer- 
sity has  established  an  institution  at  Chang-sha. 

8.  Province  of  Szchuan  (68,724,890)  where  there  is  a 
union  College  at  Cheng-tu,  representing  2^orthern  Methodists, 
-American  Baptists,  Canadian  Methodists  and  English  Friends. 
The  Church  Alission  Society  of  England  and  the  China  Inland 
Alission  are  co-operating. 

9.  Province  of  Kwang-tung  (31,865,251),  where  the  unde- 
nominational Canton  Christian  College  is  well  started  under 
the  management  of  an  .American  board  of  trustees. 

10.  Province  of  Fuh-kien  (22,876,540;,  where  the  Ameri- 
can Congregational  and  Northern  Alethodist  Boards  have  in- 
stitutions at  Foochow,  and  the  Reformed  Church  of  America 
has  one  at  Amoy. 

This  enumeration  of  independent  centers  simply  includes 
those  in  which  colleges  have  already  been  established.  It 
leaves  to  future  institutions  several  of  the  great  interior  Pro- 
vinces: Shen-si  (population  8,450,182),  Kan-su  ( 10,385,37^), 
Honan  (35,316,800),  Kwang-si  (5,142,330),  Kwei-chou  (7,- 
650,282),  and  Yunnan  (12,324,574). 

It  will  be  noted  that  most  of  these  institutions  now  have  a 
clear  field  with  a large  auxiliary  population.  There  are,  how- 
ever, two  institutions  in  Chih-li,  three  in  Fuh-kien,  and  four  in 
Kiang-su.  Hang-chou  really  makes  a fifth  in  this  region,  for 
while  it  is  in  the  adjoining  province  in  Che-kiang,  it  is  not  far 
away.  It  would  be  well  if  each  of  these  three  groups  of  col- 
leges could  be  co-ordinated  in  some  way.  It  is  true  that  the 
populations  which  they  serve  are  great  as  compared  with  Eu- 
ropean and  American  constituencies ; but  we  should  not  at- 
tempt to  reproduce  Western  conditions  in  China.  Wisdom 
suggests  that  where  two  or  more  institutions  are  within  a lim- 
ited geographical  area,  there  should  be  some  agreement  that 
one  of  them  is  to  do  post-graduate  work  for  all),  the  others 
confining  themselves  to  college  work  proper.  I do  not  be- 
lieve, however,  that  it  is  either  necessary  or  desirable  that  each 


202 


province  should  have  a university  in  the  full  meaning  of  the 
term.  At  any  rate,  it  is  not  practicable  to  equip  so  many  at 
present.  Some  institutions  should  be  content  with  college 
work.  Four  or  five  real  universities,  able  to  do  the  highest 
grade  of  post-graduate  work  and  so  distributed  that  they  could 
serve  the  northern,  middle  eastern,  middle  western,  and  south- 
ern sections  of  the  Empire,  would  form  a program  ambitious 
enough  for  the  present. 

As  conditions  now  are,  I believe  that  our  higher  educational 
responsibilities  as  Presbyterians  should  be  understood  as  lim- 
ited to  the  four  institutions  with  which  we  are  organically  con- 
nected: the  North  China  Union  Colleges  in  the  Province  of 
Chih-li : Shantung  Christian  University  in  the  Province  of 
Shantung;  Nanking  Christian  University  in  the  Province  of 
Kiang-su ; and  Hang-chou  College  in  the  Province  of  Che- 
kiang. Elsewhere,  we  should  recognize  the  existence  of  in- 
stitutions conducted  by  sister  evangelical  agencies  and  not  feel 
that  it  is  our  duty  to  found  competitive  colleges.  Each  of  the 
institutions  named  has  an  immense  field  and  population.  Each 
should  be  regarded  by  us  as  having  clear  scope  in  the  territory 
which  it  is  expected  to  command,  and  each  should  have,  as 
soon  as  possible,  a larger  equipment  and  endowment.  Happily, 
three  of  these  institutions  are  union  enterprises,  and  we  should 
cordially  welcome  co-operative  arrangements  with  any  other 
Boards  which  may  be  willing  to  join  with  us  in  developing  well- 
equipped  universities  at  each  of  these  strategic  centers.  Our 
Board  should  not  consider  for  a moment  the  founding  of  any 
more  colleges  in  China,  but  should  concentrate  eflforts  upon  the 
proper  equipment  of  those  that  we  already  have.  Shantung 
Christian  University  now  has  our  best  plant,  the  largest  field 
and  freedom  from  all  competition.  It  should  not  be  our  fault 
if  arrangements  are  not  made  with  other  institutions  in  the  re-  * 
gion  of  Peking.  Nanking  and  Hang-chou,  so  that  these  institu- 
tions also  shall  have  no  rivals  in  their  respective  fields.  As  they 
now  are,  they  have  splendid  locations  and  each  has  a field 
which,  in  the  United  States,  would  be  deemed  not  over-crowd- 
ed by  half  a dozen  colleges. 

W’e  should  have  an  adequate  number  of  auxiliary  academies 
at  each  of  our  central  stations ; otherwise  our  colleges  will  have 
no  students  fitted  for  entrance.  The  curricula  of  these  acade- 
mies should  be  co-ordinated  with  the  curriculum  of  the  col- 
lege to  which  they  are  geographically  tributary.  There  has 
been  too  much  diversitv  in  this  respect.  Not  infrequently,  sta- 
tions have  been  left  to  develop  their  own  boarding  schools,  and 
the  curriculum  has  been  left  to  the  missionary  in  charge.  IMost 
of  the  Missions  now  have  committees  which  are  organizing 


203 


their  whole  educational  work  into  a related  system.  West 
Shantung  especially  is  doing  efifective  work  in  this  direction. 
One  of  the  first  things  the  new  China  Council  ought  to  under- 
take is  this  question  of  a consistent  educational  policy,  the 
establishment  and  strengthening  of  the  requisite  number  of 
auxiliary  academies,  and  the  proper  equipment  of  the  colleges. 

This  policy  should,  of  course,  include  the  related  profes- 
sional schools  which  are  necessary.  Referring  now  only  to 
those  with  which  we  are  connected,  we  have  four  theological 
seminaries : Peking,  in  which  we  unite  with  American  and 
English  Congregationalists ; Tsing-chou-fu,  in  which  we  unite 
with  English  Baptists;  Nanking,  in  which  we  unite  with  South- 
ern Pre.sbyterians ; and  Canton,  in  which  we  unite  with  Can- 
adian and  New  Zealand  Presbyterians.  This  is  an  ideal  distri- 
bution at  strategic  centers,  though  other  Missions  might  well 
be  received  into  these  unions. 

Mr.  Morris  K.  Jesup  was  the  donor  who  gave  our  Peking 
Seminary  its  handsome  main  building  and  chapel ; and  since 
his  lamented  death,  Mrs.  Jesup  has  given  an  endowment  of 
$25,000;  while  Mr.  John  S.  Kennedy  and  Mr.  John  H.  Con- 
verse, both  of  whom  have  now  been  taken  from  earth,  gave 
residences  for  professors.  The  English  Baptists  have  provid- 
ed excellent  buildings  for  the  union  Seminary  at  Tsing-chou-fu. 
Two  good  buildings  and  residences  form  the  convenient  plant 
at  Nanking.  Canton  has  one  good  building  and  needs  another. 

Of  medical  colleges,  we  are  uniting  with  American  and  Eng- 
lish Congregationalists  and  Northern  Methodists  at  Peking, 
and  with  English  Baptists  at  Tsinan-fu.  The.se  institutions 
have  excellent  equipment,  the  best  of  any  medical  colleges  in 
China.  The  Christian  Association  of  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania and  the  Canton  [Missionary  Society  (a  local  organi- 
zation ) have  medical  colleges  at  Canton,  which  ought  to  be 
united.  The  new  Medical  College  of  Harvard  University  is  to 
be  located  at  Shanghai,  and  the  English  Baptists  have  a Med- 
ical College  at  Hankow. 

Normal  schools,  training  schools  for  evangelists  and  board- 
ing schools  ancf  colleges  for  women  are  an  indispensable  part 
of  an  adequate  educational  scheme.  Dozens  of  normal  schools 
are  needed  to  train  the  teachers  who  are  required  for  acade- 
mies, colleges  and  the  thousands  of  primary  schools.  Hun- 
dreds of  earnest  and  devout  men,  who  are  too  old  for  a full 
collegiate  and  theological  course,  can  be  fitted  for  effective 
pioneer  evangelistic  work  in  such  institutions  as  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Training  School  at  Hankow  and  our  own  Bible 
Training  School  at  Chef 00.  The  educational  policy  for  girls, 
like  that  for  boys,  should  include  primary  schools  at  out-sta- 


204 


tions,  'boarding  schools  at  stations,  and  a few  arts  colleges, 
medical  colleges  and  nurses  training  schools  distributed  at  the 
most  strategic  centers.  There  are  already  a great  many  pri- 
mary and  boarding  schools  for  girls,  and  we  are  specially  re- 
lated to  the  Woman’s  College  in  Peking  (one  of  the  institutions 
of  the  North  China  Union  Colleges)  and  the  Woman’s  Medical 
College  in  Canton,  founded  by  Dr.  Mary  Fulton. 

The  missionary  body  in  Qiina  is  thoroughly  alive  to  the  edu- 
cational crisis  in  the  Empire.'  Consideration  of  the  subject  at 
the  Shanghai  Conference  of  i8go  resulted  in  the  formation  of 
"The  Educational  Association  of  China."  The  reports  of  its 
“Triennial  Meetings,"  and  its  "Monthly  Bulletins,"  beginning 
as  separate  publications  in  Alay,  1907,  and  in  January,  1909, 
merged  into  “The  Educational  Review,"  are  rich  stores  of  in- 
formation. The  China  Centenary  Conference  of  1907,  at 
Shanghai,  gave  large  attention  to  education  and  provided  for 
"A  General  Board  of  Education.”  * 

At  the  home  end,  plans  for  co-operative  effort  have  been 
made.  “The  China  Emergency  Appeal  Fund  Committee”  has 
been  founded  in  England,  and  a Committee  of  Oxford  and 
Cambridge  University  men,  under  the  leadership  of  the  Rev. 
Lord  William  Gascoyne-Cecil,  proposes  to  establish  a well- 
equipped  modern  University  at  Hankow,  grouping  present  and 
prospective  colleges  in  that  region  on  the  Oxford  and  Cam- 
bridge model,  in  America,  the  Committee  on  Reference  and 
Counsel  proposed  to  the  Conference  of  Eoreign  Missions, 
Boards  of  the  United  States  and  Canada  in  January,  1909,  the 
advisability  of  constituting  an  inter-denominational  Commis- 
sion to  co-operate  with  the  General  Board  of  Education  ap- 
pointed by  the  Shanghai  Conference  and  with  the  Educational 
Association  of  China  in  bringing  the  educational  needs  of 
China  before  the  people  of  the  United  States  and  Canada,  and 
to  aid  in  securing  funds.  The  Conference,  after  careful  con- 
sideration, took  the  following  action  : 

“Resolved,  That  the  proposal  for  the  appointment  of  a Committee  on 
tlie  present  educational  needs  and  opportunities  in  China  be  approved, 
and  that  this  Committee  consist  of  the  Committee  "on  Reference  and 
Counsel  with  the  addition  of  twelve  laymen,  not  more  tlran  half  of 
whom  shall  be  members  of  Mission  Boards,  these  laymen  to  be  chosen 
by  the  Committee  on  Reference  and  Counsel,  and  this  new  Committee 
to  appoint  its  own  officers. 

“Resolved,  That  the  function  of  this  Committee  shall  be  to  promote 
a larger  interest  in  Christian  education  in  China  ; but  it  shall  not  itself 
receive  or  administer  funds  therefor  without  further  action  of  this 
Conference.” 


* Cf.  Resolutions  and  Discussions  in  "Records  China  Centenary  Missionary 
Conference,*'  pp.  47S  sq. 


205 


The  Committee  on  Reference  and  Counsel  was  fortunate  in 
securing  the  co-operation  of  several  of  the  most  distinguished 
laymen  of  America  and  the  full  membership  of  the  Commis- 
sion is  as  follows : 

President,  Edgar  A.  Alderman,  LL.D.,  University  of  Virginia,  Char- 
lottesville, Va. 

The  Rev.  James  L.  Barton,  D.D.,  14  Beacon  Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

The  Rev.  Thos.  S.  Barbour,  D.D.,  Ford  Building,  Boston,  Mass. 

The  Rev.  Arthur  J.  Brown,  U.D.,  156  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York. 

The  Rev.  Henry  X.  Cobb,  D.U.,  25  Fast  2Jd  Street,  New  York.  (Since 
deceased.) 

The  Hon.  John  W.  Foster,  LL.D.,  1323  i8th  Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Mr.  W.  Henry  Grant,  156  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York. 

President  Arthur  T.  Hadley,  LL.D.,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

The  Hon.  Charles  E.  Hughes,  L.L.D.,  Executive  Mansion,  .Albany, 
New  York. 

The  Rev.  Walter  R.  Lambuth,  M.D.,  D.D.,  346  Public  Square,  Nash 
ville,  Tenn. 

The  Hon.  Seth  Low,  LL.D.,  30  East  64th  Street,  New  York. 

Mr.  John  R.  Mott,  M.A.,  124  East  28th  Street,  New  York. 

Mr.  George  Wharton  Pepper,  1730  Pine  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Mr.  N.  W.  Rowell,  46  King  Street  West,  Toronto. 

^^r.  Robert  E.  Speer,  M.A.,  156  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York. 

The  Rev.  Homer  C.  Stuntz,  D.D.,  150  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York. 

The  Rev.  Alex.  Sutherland,  D.D.,  33  Richmond  Street  W'est,  Toronto. 
The  Rev.  Charles  R.  Watson,  D.D.,  200  N.  15th  St.,  Philadelphia. 
President  Woodrow  Wilson,  LL.D.,  Princeton,  N.  J., 

The  Commission  has  organized  by  electing  the  lion.  Seth 
Low,  LL.D.,  Honorary  Chairman;  Mr.  Wm.  Henry  Grant,  Re- 
cording Secretary ; and  an  Executive  Committee  consisting  of 
Mr.  John  R.  Mott,  Chairman,  the  Rev.  Dr.  James  L.  Barton, 
Mr.  Robert  E.  Speer,  the  Hon  Seth  Low,  ex-offi- 
cio as  Chairman  of  the  Commission,  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Arthur  J. 
Brown,  ex-officio  as  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Reference 
and  Counsel.  Lord  Wdlliam  Cecil  recently  visited  America  to 
confer  with  the  Commission  regarding  co-operation  with  the 
Oxford-Cambridge  Committee.  The  Commission  met  him 
and  Prof.  A.  Lionel  Smith  of  Oxford  Cniversity  in  mutually 
pleasant  conference  April  19th,  and  after  full  discussion,  the 
following  minute  was  adopted  as  the  opinion  of  the  Com- 
mission : 

"The  China  Educational  Commission  of  the  United  States  and  Canada 
has  heard  with  great  interest  and  satisfaction  the  plans  for  a University 
at  or  near  Hankow,  China,  as  presented  by  the  Rev.  Lord  William  Gas- 
coyne-Cecil  and  Prof.  A.  Lionel  Smith,  of  Baliol  College,  Oxford. 
These  plans  contemplate  a University  to  be  equipped  and  conducted  by 
Oxford  and  Cambridge  Universities  in  Great  Britain,  Toronto  and 
McGill  Universities  in  Canada,  and  two  Universities  in  the  United 
States;  embracing  various  affiliating  colleges  or  hostels  to  be  equipped 
and  conducted  by  the  Boards  and  Societies  of  Foreign  Missions  which 
may  elect  to  co-operate  with  the  University,  each  Society  to  control  in 
its  own  way  the  hostel  or  college  which  it  provides. 


2o6 


“It  is  understood  that  the  proposed  University  is  not  intended  to  serve 
all  China,  but  primarily  for  that  part  of  it  in  the  Upper  Yang-tse  Valley 
which  is  naturally  tributary  to  Hankow,  and  that  the  way  remains  en- 
tirely clear  for  the  development  elsewhere  in  China  of  other  institutions 
on  the  same  or  other  plans  as  may  be  deemed  expedient  by  those  directly 
interested. 

“It  is  understood  that  responsibility  for  obtaining  and  expending  all 
funds,  for  purchasing,  holding  and  maintaining  all  properties,  and  for 
current  expenses  of  every  kind  shall  reside  in  the  co-operating  bodies, 
and  that  appeals  for  funds  shall  aim  at  avoiding  interference  with  the 
regular  income  of  the  Societies. 

“It  is  also  understood  that  the  University  shall  be  conducted  in  sym- 
pathetic co-operation  with  Missions  of  the  co-operating  Societies,  that 
the  President  and  all  Professors  shall  be  Christian  men  in  sympathy 
with  Christian  ideals,  and  that  the  University  as  well  as  the  affiliating 
colleges  shall  be  pronouncedly  Cbristian. 

“On  this  basis,  the  Commission  cordially  approves  the  proposed  Uni- 
versity for  the  Upper  Yang-tse  Valley  and  commends  it  to  the  considera- 
tion of  the  Universities  which  have  been  indicated  and  the  Boards  and 
Societies  which  have  Missions  in  the  territory  geographically  tributary 
to  Hankow." 

The  limits  of  this  report  do  not  permit  me  to  di.scuss  this  in- 
teresting subject  further  at  this  time.  The  intellectual  awak- 
ening of  the  500,000,000  people  in  the  Far  East  is  an  event  of 
unparalleled  magnitude  and  significance,  and  true  statesman- 
ship will  make  immediate  and  constructive  effort  to  provide 
Christian  leadership  for  it. 

I cannot  close  this  reference  to  China  without  expressing  the 
conviction  that  the  individual  Chinese  is  one  of  the  most  virile, 
industrious  and  self-reliant  men  in  the  world.  Unaided,  he 
overcomes  obstacles  and  makes  his  way  where  many  other  men 
fail.  He  has  lacked,  however,  national  spirit.  He  has  not  been 
willing  to  make  sacrifices  for  the  common  good.  China,  there- 
fore, has  been  weak  and  helpless  in  international  affairs,  as 
compared  with  the  compact  and  united  Japanese  and  with  west- 
ern Governments  which  are  also  able  to  mass  their  national  re- 
sources for  aggressive  purposes.  But  if  this  individual  Chinese 
were  to  be  inspired  with  a national  .spirit,  if  he  were  to  come  to 
realize  that  in  union  is  strength,  then  the  Chinese,  with  the  wea- 
pons of  modern  warfare  in  their  hands,  and  moving,  not  as  individ- 
uals, but  as  a united  country  of  446,000,000  people,  would  be- 
come the  mightiest  power  that  the  world  has  .seen.  This  inspir- 
ation with  a national  .spirit,  this  fusing  of  individualism  into  the 
unity  of  a majestic  nation,  is  now  taking  place  before  our  eyes. 
Railways  and  telegraphs  are  bringing  the  widely  separated 
parts  of  the  Empire  together.  Aggressions  of  outside  nations 
are  awakening  irritation  and  begetting  knowledge  that  union  is 
necessary  to  preservation.  Modern  education  is  kindling  new 
ambitions.  Contact  with  other  peoples  is  widening  horizons. 
Newspapers  are  proclaiming  reform.  The  Gospel  of  Christ  is 


207 


exalting  ideals,  creating  Christian  character  and  strengthening 
moral  purposes.  Chinese  individuals  are  'being  welded  in  the 
fires  of  modern  life  into  a Chinese  nation.  The  stupendous 
magnitude  of  this  transformation  dwarfs  every  other  move- 
ment. Our  duty  is  not  to  resist  it.  not  to  drill  armies  and  build 
navies  for  an  era  of  conflict,  hut  to  treat  the  new  China  justly 
and  to  aid  in  inspiring  it  with  noble  resolve.  The  Chinese  are 
a peace-loving  peo])le : they  will  not  be  a "Yellow  Peril"  unless 
they  are  forced  to  become  one  by  “A  White  Peril."  The  oppor- 
tunity to  help  China  in  this  period  of  transition  is  the  no’blest 
ever  presented  to  the  followers  of  Christ.  It  calls  for  men  of 
statesmanlike  vision,  men  of  moral  leadership,  'men  of  splendid 
faith.  .And  who  knoweth  whether  the  Christian  men  of  the 
West  have  not  come  to  the  kiimdom  for  such  a time  as  this. 

Our  study  of  Christian  opportunites  in  Asia  should  not  ig- 
nore the  thousands  of 

STUDENTS  IN  GOVERNMENT  COLLEGES. 

I visited  several  of  these  institutions  in  Japan,  Korea  and 
China,  and  was  deeply  impressed  by  the  opportunities  for 
Christian  work  which  they  afiford.  The  number  of 
young  men  in  government  institutions  in  Asia  is  already 
very  large.  Some  cities  are  among  the  great  student  centers  of 
the  world.  Young  men  in  these  institutions  far  outnumber 
the  pupils  of  mission  schools  and  they  are  destined  to  be  very 
influential  men.  Our  plans  should  not  ignore  them  if  we  wish 
to  win  the  leaders  of  Asia  for  the  service  of  Christ. 

Comparatively  little  work  of  this  kind  is  now  being  done. 
Here  and  there  an  individual  missionary,  who  has  special  apti- 
tude for  reaching  young  men,  has  interested  himself  in  the 
government  schools  near  which  he  happens  to  be  stationed.  We 
know  of  some  special  cases  of  this  kind  which  are  very  success- 
ful. Air.  Gorbold  is  making  an  admirably  intelligent  effort  to 
reach  the  numerous  student  body  connected  with  the  Govern- 
ment University  and  its  allied  schools  at  Kyoto,  Japan  : and 
the  English  Baptist  missionaries  are  conducting  a notable  work 
at  Tsinan-fu,  China,  where  the  genius  of  Air.  Whitewright  has 
built  up  an  institution  which  surprises  and  delights  the  visitor 
as  well  as  the  thousands  of  Chinese  who  inspect  it.  But  so 
far  as  I am  aware,  no  Board  has  taken  up  the  matter  systemati- 
cally with  a view  to  formulating  policies  and  methods  for  con- 
ducting the  work  on  an  adequate  scale.  The  nearest  approach 
has  been  made  by  the  International  Committee  of  the  Young 
Alen's  Christian  Association.  This  Committee  and  some  of 


2o8 


its  Secretaries  have  carefully  tested  the  matter  in  several 
places  and  have  acquired  some  valuable  experience.  They  have 
done  enough  to  show  not  only  the  greatness  of  the  opportunity, 
but  the  entire  practicability  of  meeting  it,  if  it  is  undertaken 
along  right  lines.  The  Y.  M.  C.  A.  men  with  whom  I talked 
feel  strongly  on  the  subject.  Mr.  F.  S.  Brockman,  General  Sec- 
retary at  Shanghai,  who  is  deeply  interested  in  this  subject, 
writes:  “Every  day's  furtheg  thought  on  the  Government  stu- 
dent field  and  the  developments  since  you  were  here  have  tend- 
e 1 to  <leepen  my  conviction  that  we  cannot  neglect  this  field 
any  longer.  A propaganda  is  now  being  actively  carried  on  by 
the  Government  school  students  to  take  some  radical  action 
against  foreigners.  The  papers  are  full  of  disquieting  rumors, 
all  emanating  from  the  Government  school  students.  Circulars 
are  being  distributed  from  Government  school  students  de- 
nouncing the  aggression  of  foreign  Powers,  all  of  which  is 
fraught  with  possibilities  of  greatest  evil.  Notwithstanding  the 
fiery  and  unruly  character  of  these  students,  every  student  ex- 
periment which  we  have  made  on  any  adequate  scale  to  reach 
them,  shows  how  open  they  are  to  tactful  influences.” 

The  number  of  non-missionary  schools  for  young  women  is 
not  nearly  as  large  as  the  number  of  institutions  for  young 
men.  It  is  not  so  easy  to  reach  them,  as  native  custom  guards 
them  more  carefully  and  regards  with  suspicion  any  effort  of 
outsiders  to  get  into  touch  with  girls.  Tactful  Christian  wo- 
men, however,  can  gain  access  to  these  institutions.  The  ma- 
jority of  the  missionaries  whom  I consulted  appeared  to  feel 
that  hostels  for  young  women  students  are  not  yet  a pressing 
(piestion  in  China:  but  Miss  A.  Estella  Paddock,  National  Sec- 
retary of  the  Young  Women’s  Christian  Associations  of  China, 
believes  that  such  hostels  are  already  needed  in  Peking  and 
Tien-tsin  and  that  the  time  is  rapidly  approaching  when  they 
should  be  opened  in  several  other  cities. 

There  is  no  (juestion  about  the  accessibility  of  young  men, 
an  1 the  already  large  and  rapidly  increasing  numbers  of  stu- 
dents in  Government  institutions  form  a splendid  field  for  a 
Christian  work  which  ought  to  be  mightily  influential.  Ordin- 
ary mission  methods  are  not  likely  to  be  successful  in  reaching 
this  particular  class.  We  shall  probably  require  specially  se- 
lected men  and  methods  and  equipments  adapted  to  the  peculi- 
arities of  the  class  to  be  approached. 

This  subject  is  also  one  that  cannot  be  wisely  handled  by 
any  one  Board  without  consultation  with  other  Boards.  It  is 
not  denominational  in  its  character,  and  it  would  be  extremely 
unfortunate  if  several  different  Boards  were  to  undertake  to 
meet  it  by  independent  action.  There  would  inevitably  be  du- 


209 


plication  of  agencies  and  expenditures.  Some  institutions 
would  probably  receive  disproportionate  attention  and  others 
would  be  wholly  neglected.  The  problem  should  be  studied  in 
a large  wav  and  should  be  dealt  with  by  united  efYorts  so  that 
the  situation  can  be  economically,  intelligently  and  efifectively 
handled. 

I do  not.  therefore,  recommend  any  present  action  on  this 
subject  by  our  Board,  but  I have  brought  the  matter  to  the  at- 
tention of  the  Conference  of  representatives  of  Foreign  Mis- 
sions' Boards  of  the  Ignited  States  and  Canada  in  connection 
with  my  report  as  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Reference 
and  Counsel.  The  Conference  expressed  deep  interest  and 
took  the  following  action : 

“Resolved,  That  the  Conference  recognizes  the  importance  of  making 
some  provision  for  bringing  Christian  influence  to  bear  upon  the  in- 
creasing number  of  students  in  government  schools  and  colleges  of 
.\sia : that  the  Committee  on  Reference  and  Counsel  be  instructed  to 
make  further  investigation  of  the  subject  in  relation  to  both  men  and 
women  students,  conferring  with  the  Educational  .'Kssociation  of  China, 
the  International  Committees  of  the  Young  Men's  and  Young  Women's 
Christian  Associations,  and  missionaries  on  the  field,  and  reporting  find- 
ings and  recommendations  to  the  next  annual  Conference.” 

The  Committee  on  Reference  and  Counsel  will  therefore 
make  a special  study  of  this  question  and  report  its  conclu- 
sions and  recommendations  in  due  time. 

CONCLUSION. 

This  report  has  already  attained  wearisome  length  and  I 
must  bring  it  to  a close;  althongh  considerable  material  in  my 
note  books  is  still  untouched.  I particularly  regret  that  I must 
defer  a discussion  of  the  problems  which  southern  Manchuria 
now  presents,  especially  as  Presbyterians  have  come  into  spe- 
cial relation  with  them  through  the  opening  of  mission  sta- 
tions at  Dairen  and  Port  Arthur.  i\]r.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  C. 
\\'inn  at  the  former  place,  and  Mr.  ami  iMrs.  Arthur  M Bryan 
at  the  latter,  have  begnn  a very  interesting  work  among  the 
new  and  rapidly  increasing  Japanese  population. 

i\Irs.  Brown,  who  accompanied  me  on  the  entire  jonrney  as 
she  also  did  on  the  first  journey  in  1901-1902,  joins  me  in 
grateful  memories  of  the  hospitality  which  we  everywhere  re- 
ceived. Our  visits  to  the  missionaries  brought  us  far  richer 
benefit  than  we  could  possibly  have  brought  to  them.  The  ties 
of  affectionate  personal  friendship  with  the  devoted  workers 
in  Asia,  already  strong,  were  made  still  stronger  by  the  experi- 
ences of  this  tour.  The  missionary  body  averages  very  high 
in  those  (jualities  which  fit  men  and  women  to  represent  the 
best  type  of  Christian  character  and  ability  in  the  Far  East. 


210 


They  are  not  perfect,  neither  are  we ; but  they  come  much 
nearer  perfection  than  any  equal  body  of  people  that  I know 
at  home.  They  deserve,  not  pity — they  do  not  want  that — but 
all  the  sympathy  and  support  that  we  can  possibly  give  them. 
Their  work  is  growing  so  rapidly  and  their  opportunities  are 
expanding  so  enormously  that  they  ought  to  have  immediately 
at  least  double  the  resources  which  they  are  now  receiving. 
The}-  are  toiling  with  fidelity  superb,  with  consecration  abso- 
lute and  with  a love  for  Christ  and  their  fellowmen  which 
knows  no  turning  back.  Loneliness  and  isolation,  illness  and 
bereavement,  uncongenial  surroundings  and  inadequate  equip- 
ment dismay  them  not.  Like  Livingstone,  they  encourage 
themselves  in  the  Lord  their  God  and  go  forward.  They  stead- 
fastly look  unto  Him  and  are  radiant,  and  the  radiance  of  their 
faith  has  lightened  my  ])ath  when  1 should  have  lightened  theirs. 
Our  thoughts  of  them  should  be  those  of  the  Apostle  Paul  for 
his  beloved  Philippians,  when  he  assured  them  of  his  loving  in- 
terest. his  frequent  prayers,  his  unwavering  confidence,  and  his 
assurance  that  God  had  larger  blessings  in  store  for  them.  We 
who  represent  them  at  home  should  join  them  in  fuller  conse- 
cration to  the  majestic  work  to  which  they  are  giving  their 
lives.  It  is  of  God,  and  we  are  co-workers  with  Him. 


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